Water and Wastewater in Ontario Chris Lyon, P.Eng., M.Eng. Director Engineering Services Ainley Group, Engineering
Overview Municipal Water Systems Watershed Protection in Ontario The OCC PS Project
Municipal Water In Ontario Where does it come from? Is it treated? Is it tested? How much does it cost? Is it safe? Do you drink it?
Water Sources Groundwater (Springs, Wells, etc.) Surface Water (Rivers, Lakes, etc.) Ocean Water (Desalination Plants) Rain / Snow (Cisterns) Others?
Is Drinking Water Treated? / Tested? Private Wells… nope Private Lakes/ Rivers… nada Company Wells/Surface Water… nada Municipal Sources… yes Provincial Sources… mostly Federal Sources… sometimes … a little … it depends … big time … mostly … sometimes
Treatment… Surface waters are cleaned, settled and pollished Chlorine is added to municipal water Ozone and UV Rays are used to neutralize bacteria in some cases Free Chlorine must still be in municipal systems
Living Organism Pollutants in Drinking Water – Danger? Coliform Rotting Plants / Soil Fecal Coliform E-Coli – Animals Parasidic Protazoa Cryptosporidium Giardia Lamblia AKA - Beaver Fever / Montezumas Revenge, etc.
Living Organism Pollutants in Drinking Water – Danger? Coliform Rotting Plants / Soil Fecal Coliform E-Coli – Animals Parasidic Protazoa Cryptosporidium Giardia Lamblia AKA - Beaver Fever / Montezumas Revenge, etc. In substantial numbers may cause mild illness, severe illness or death Divide and Multiply and Make you sick for a few days or a few weeks
Chemical Pollutants – Which are the Riskiest? Spilled Gasoline? Herbicides? Pesticides? Poisons? Nitrogen? Greenhouse Gases?
Chemical Pollutants – Which are the Riskiest? Spilled Gasoline? Herbicides? Pesticides? Poisons? Nitrogen? Greenhouse Gases? Decomposes w O2 Risky but… Risky.. Dilution only Greenhouse Gases?… thats another story
Multi-barrier Approach If its good enough for Canadian Roofing
Drinking Water Multi-Barriers Protect and Test the water source Test and Treat the Raw water Clean and Disinfect the Water Monitor / Alarm the Water 24/7 Monitor / Alarm the Reservoirs 24/7 Create a redundant water piping system Monitor water in the distribution system Test all points every 24/7, daily & weekly
Wastewater Treatment Working with nature to clean dirty water…
Cleaning Waste Water... Whats the worst… Poop n Paper Paint Chemicals Soaps Insecticides Petroleum Arsenic Stones/Sticks
Wastewater Before and After
Cleaning Wastewater Screening – tires, 2x4s, nylons Grit Removal – more stones and sand Separating Solids from Liquids Settle Solids and send solids to digest Add bacteria to the remaining liquid and create a warm feeding and reproductive frenzy Settle out the fat bacteria families and send them to digest (and create methane) Treat and filter remaining bacteria Return clarified waste water to nature
Topics in the News? What happened in Walkerton, Ontario?
Walkerton – Who Messed Up? Who was at fault?
Justice OConnor Called for change by… By the Province of Ontario By all Municipalities and Water Utilities By the Supervisors / Operators ….and he called for a multi-barrier approach with increased training, double checking and governance with professional and governmental oversight…
Other Issues… Is Sewage in the Ottawa River? Flooded basements in Kanata? Orleans? Are people bathing in sewage in Developing Countries? India? Haita – Cholera? Is there a lack of Clean water in Canadian Aboriginal reserves? Is drinking water safe when its from a school water fountain?