Big Things Happening with Wastewater in Cape Breton Regional Municipality

MPWWA

Volume 27 / Number 03 October 2020 $3.00 Big things happening with wastewater in Cape Breton Regional Municipality

by raissa tetanish project will eliminate the remaining raw discharge outfalls that currently discharge Two major wastewater projects cur- to the Southeast arm of Sydney Harbour. rently on the go in Cape Breton Regional The municipal effluent will be conveyed to Municipality (CBRM) will see service to a new treatment plant. thousands of residents in the next few “This project will see five kilometres years. of new collector sewer, a new treatment Matt Viva, manager of wastewater op- plant, and new outfall,” said Viva, noting erations for the municipality, is oversee- it will service roughly 7,000 area residents. ing the projects in Sydney West, Glace Bay, “We’re also upgrading 11 lift stations, and and Port Morien, all of which total more conducting a thorough inflow and infiltra- Message From than $150-million. tion (I&I) investigation on our existing col- “In CBRM, there lection system.” The Chair are eight communi- The wastewater ties that collect mu- We’re also upgrading manager says the By Jerry Villard nicipal wastewater 11 lift stations, and focus is to identify A new 4.5-kilometre pressure main is being but lack wastewater sources of and elimi- installed as part of the Sydney Harbour elcome to the fall of 2020! treatment, so we’ve conducting a thorough nating extraneous West Wastewater Collection and Treatment I’m sure it has been a try- created a roadmap inflow and infiltration flow, which will guide Project. Wing summer for many of you, on what future treat- the detailed design Matt Viva photo dealing with all the extra protocols ment will look like (I&I) investigation on our process, aiming for required to protect us from COVID-19. in each community,” the construction of treatment plants installed. As with many of you, this has curbed said Viva, about a existing collection system. a smaller treatment When it comes to Glace Bay, 1,400 man- much of what the MPWWA has been preliminary design Matt Viva, CBRM wastewater plant. holes and 126 kilometres of piping will be able to offer for training this summer. project he recently operations manager “That’s the focus studied to identify sources of I&I, eight We have continued to try to get access finished that will of all our projects.” outfalls will be eliminated, and the project to virtual training through many dif- guide current and The municipal- will see the installation of three new lift ferent means. Some was and contin- future capital wastewater projects. “We ity’s other major project in Glace Bay, Port stations, six combined sewer overflows ues to be provided by suppliers and are a community of coastal communities, Morien and surrounding areas – coming in (CSO’s), nearly 3,000 metres of gravity sew- companies that were linked through spread across thousands of square kilome- at $98-million – is broken into three main er and 2,000 metres of pressure sewer, and the MPWWA. tres of land resulting in many untreated components. A UV system will be replaced one new treatment plant and outfall. The hope is that everyone can ac- outfalls scattered along our coastline. The at CBRM’s largest wastewater treatment Port Morien will see 1,300 metres of cess what you need to improve and preliminary roadmap identifies future plant in Sydney, while UV systems will gravity sewer and 1,300 metres of pressure help you do your work. Anyone with pipe corridors, pumping station locations, replace chlorine disinfection units at four sewer installed, one new lift station and any requests or suggestions please treatment plant processes and locations, as lagoons within the municipality. The larg- treatment plant. As well, 62 manholes and send to any of your directors, contact well as outfall configurations.” est component of the project involving the five kilometres of gravity sewer will be in- information available at mpwwa.ca. When it comes to the Sydney Harbour two communities – Glace Bay and Port vestigated for I&I. I will keep it short and sweet this West Wastewater Collection and Treat- Morien – currently without treatment, will issue, since there isn’t much to up- ment Project, Viva says the $58-million see new collection piping, lift stations, and Continued on page 3 date on. We are working on the 2021 annual Training Seminar, trying to determine if it is feasible or safe to Publication No. 40064799 have under current circumstances. INDEX Will keep you posted as decisions are School water test results..... 2 made. Universal metering...... Thanks to all the directors, suppli- 4 er reps, and government reps on the Member profile...... 5 board for the work you have done and Pipe replacement continue to do to keep the MPWWA on track...... progressing. 6 Be safe, be kind, and don’t let CO- Water supply bylaw VID keep you from enjoying life at changes...... 7

work and at home, even if it has to ADDRESS LABEL HERE happen differently! Wellfield project continues...... 7 Page 2 • Maritime Provinces Water & Wastewater Report • October 2020 www.mpwwa.ca All Nova Scotia schools undergo testing for lead and copper

andy walker all of the schools have clean drinking wa- Testing for lead and copper levels in ter available adding “our school’s water drinking water carried out in all schools sources undergo regular testing. We have in Nova Scotia last year showed that 70 per been a leader in Canada in supplying clean cent of the facilities met the new federal water to our schools.” guidelines. She said in the statement the Regional The maximum acceptable concentra- Centres of Education (RCEs) and Conseil tion for lead has gone from 0.01 milli- scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP) are grams per litre mg/L, set in 1992, to 0.005 taking steps to correct the problems and mg/L while the new guideline value for their plans are being updated quarterly. copper in drinking water is 2 mg/L. Vio- MacLeod said the final cost has not yet let Macleod, communications officer with been tabulated. the province’s Department of Education Since the advent of COVID-19, there BigStock / leungchopan and Early Childhood Development, said has been no access by students or staff to in a written statement, “Following the re- school water fountains. MacLeod noted in ans have fallen dramatically over the past new guideline for the maximum concen- lease of Health Canada’s new guidelines, the statement touchless water stations are 30 years due to limitations on the metal in tration of lead in drinking water.” the province acted proactively providing being installed at all schools across Nova refineries, gasoline, paint, and cosmetic Health Canada notes the guidelines for clean, drinkable water to all schools, and Scotia. products. copper of 2 milligrams per litre (mg/L) committing to test the water and share the “We continue to supply clean drink- Lead was approved for use in plumbing protects “the most vulnerable members of results. We have delivered on our commit- ing water to our schools and bottled wa- products until 1975, and is found in a num- society, such as infants and children. It is ment and all schools’ water testing results ter will not be removed from any school ber of older buildings. The federal guide- also protective of both short term and long have been posted on our website.” until we are certain the drinking water lines note “since lead was regularly used term exposures.” A drinking water tap in any of the 370 meets Health Canada’s standards and that in these plumbing system parts for many The results of the province’s water tests schools that had levels above the guide- drinking taps are touchless,” the state- years, drinking water systems in Canada in public schools can be found online at lines has been taken out of service and ment concluded. may still have some of these lead compo- https://www.ednet.ns.ca/water-test-results. alternate sources of clean drinking water In releasing the guidelines for lead, nents in place. It is expected to take time have been provided. MacLeod emphasized Health Canada notes lead levels in Canadi- before all jurisdictions are able to meet the

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Halifax • Sydney • Saint John • Fredericton Moncton • Charlottetown • St. John’s www.CBCL.ca Happy Valley-Goose Bay • Ottawa 184376 184383 www.mpwwa.ca October 2020 • Maritime Provinces Water & Wastewater Report • Page 3 Big things happening with wastewater in Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Continued from page 1 The other five communities in CBRM fall under the low-risk category, with a The Port Morien portion will see 413 deadline of 2040, and Viva says planning residents serviced, with another 14,500 for those will start possibly around 2028, residents in Glace Bay being served by the once Port Morien and Glace Bay are up and new treatment plant there. running. Those two communities are identified The Sydney West project is cost-shared as high-risk under the national Wastewa- between the municipal, provincial, and ter System Effluent Regulations that came federal governments; and Glace Bay/Port into force in 2012, which all municipalities Morien is fully paid for by the federal and in the country are to comply with. Being provincial governments. high-risk, the projects are to be completed When it comes to the companies hired by January 2021, however Viva says both for the work on the projects so far, Viva Port Morien and Glace Bay won’t meet that says the engineering design teams and con- deadline. tractors have all come from the local area. “I anticipate the Port Morien system “CBRM has a strong base of consulting will be complete near the end of 2023, and firms in town, as well as reputable contrac- Glace Bay will be around 2026,” he said. tors, so all of our resources have been from Sydney West, says Viva, is a medium- here,” he said. risk, required to be completed by 2030. The key to all of this is to build efficient Construction on that plant is set to begin facilities and systems that reduce finan- next summer, and it’s hoped to be up and cial operating pressure for the long haul, running by the end of 2022. which is what they’re trying to do.

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Lagoons • Digesters • Clariﬁ ers • Aeration Ditches • Lift Stations • Gravity Sewers • Force Mains

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MPWWA Return undeliverable addresses to: Maritime Provinces Water & Advocate Media Inc. Wastewater Report 2882 Gottingen St., Halifax, NS, B3K 3E2 2882 Gottingen St. Halifax, NS, B3K 3E2 Publisher: Fred Fiander Phone: 902-422-4990 Fax: 902-429-9058 World’s #1 Municipal GreaseSales Manager:and SludgePatty Baxter Eliminator!Email: Marketing Advisor: Michele White The MaritimeWaste-Go Provincial Water is &a Waste proven Water onReport site is published formulation quarterly by of Advocate bacteria Media and enzymes. This powdered blend, [email protected] activated with water, Inc. The opinions expressed in the Maritime Provincial Water & Waste Water Report are those of Editor: Raissa Tetanish the authors and do not reflect thedigests official views solid of Advocate waste, Media fats, Inc. Theoils Maritime and Provincial grease; turning it into ash, CO2 and mineral rich H2O. Water & Waste Water Report and its contributors can accept no legal responsibility for loss Designer: Advocate Media Inc through anyW erroraste-Go in information is nature contained’s herein. own way of recycling all organic waste back to plant food and it’s NSF Certiﬁ ed as safe for use in all food prep and production areas. An industry ﬁ rst! Editorial and advertising published in the Maritime Provincial Water & Waste Water Report may Mailed under Canada Post Publications Mail

not be reproduced in any form without prior approval of the publisher. Advocate Media Inc. is Agreement No. 40064799 187356 not responsible for the safety and 1-866-286-5931condition of unsolicited manuscripts and photographs.www.wastego.ca [email protected] Page 4 • Maritime Provinces Water & Wastewater Report • October 2020 www.mpwwa.ca Charlottetown declares universal metering program a success

BY ANDY WALKER annual consumption.” The Charlottetown Water and Sewer Although Utility is declaring the implementation of the popula- its universal metering program a success. tion of Char- Since the program was implemented lottetown is in 2013, Deputy Mayor Jason Coady said growing, resi- there has been a 13 per cent reduction in dents are manag- water consumption. The deputy mayor, ing to reduce annu- BigStock / Olgagi who is responsible for the Water and Sew- al water consumption. er Utility around the council table, noted The annual consumption there are still approximately 200 custom- in 2008 was 7.2 million cubic meters, com- ers who have not yet complied with the re- pared to an annual usage of 6.2 million cu- quirement to install a meter. bic meters in 2019. Effective Oct. 1, those customers saw “We all benefi t from water consump- their surcharge increase from $50 to $100 tion reduction,” said the deputy mayor. per quarter. He noted that rate is almost “Not only is it better for our environment three times what the average metered cus- and helps protect this resource, but it also GREAT TANKS • GREAT SERVICE tomer pays on the consumption portion of reduces the urgency for the city to invest their bill. in additional wellfi elds, which is a costly “The Water and Sewer Utility has done venture that translates into higher rates an excellent job in educating residents, for consumers and can put more strain on as well as offering incentive programs to local watersheds.” reduce water consumption,” said Mayor Charlottetown brought a third wellfi eld 184385 Philip Brown. “The metering program on stream last year in the Miltonvale Park puts control into the hands of the residents area to take pressure off its two older well- 866 2993009 | WWW.GREATARIO.COM as they manage their own usage, which fi elds that draw from the Winter River. in many cases has resulted in decreased MPWWA Executive 2020-2021 Executive Secretary, Clara Shea Zone 3, Jeff Rogers, Zone 9, Jerry Villard Phone: 902-434-8874 Training Coordinator Phone: 902-393-6281 Fax: 902-434-8859 Phone: 506-333-0610 Fax: 902-569-5000 [email protected] Fax: 506-849-5799 [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer, Rick Larlee Zone 10, Corbin Stevens Phone: 506-460-2224 Zone 4, Rick Larlee Phone: 902-275-3597 Fax: 506-460-2013 Phone: 506-460-2224 [email protected] [email protected] Fax: 506-460-2013 [email protected] Zone 11, Mark Francis Chair, Jerry Villard Director at Large Phone: 902-393-6281 Zone 5, Scott MacEachern (First Nations, NB & PE) Fax: 902-569-5000 Phone: 902-543-4254 Phone: 506-363-2859 [email protected] Fax: 902-543-0976 [email protected] [email protected] Past Chair, Rob Hamilton Zone 12, Tim Henman [email protected] Zone 6, Bill Cannon Director at Large (DND, NS & NL) Phone: 902-538-4024 Phone: 902-802-3595 Webmaster, Rick Larlee Fax: 902-538-3724 [email protected] Phone: 506-460-2224 [email protected] Fax: 506-460-2013 Commercial Rep., Melanie MacKinnon [email protected] Zone 7, Kevin Kelloway Phone: 902-861-4710 Phone: 902-717-2353 [email protected] Zone 1, Nicolas Legere Fax: 902-435-8403 New Brunswick, Denis Chenard Prince Edward Island, Ben Lanigan Phone: 506-726-2727 [email protected] Commercial Rep., Andre Van Der Velden Phone: 506-453-2200 Phone: 902-368-5043 Fax: 506-726-2687 Phone: 902-450-1177 Fax: 506-453-7945 Fax: 902-368-5830 [email protected] Zone 8, Nicola Anderson Fax: 902-450-1170 [email protected] [email protected] Phone: 902-563-5774 [email protected] Zone 2, Troy Atkinson, Vice Chair Cell: 902-574-3341 Nova Scotia, Krysta Montreuil Newfoundland and Labrador, Phone: 506-381-9811 [email protected] Phone: 902-478-8026 Deneen Spracklin Fax: 506-856-4359 Environment Canada, Paul Klaamas [email protected] Phone: 709-729-1158 [email protected] Phone: 902-426-4378 Fax: 709-729-0320 Fax: 902-426-6434 [email protected] [email protected] 184395 October 2020 • Maritime Provinces Water & Wastewater Report • Page 5 www.mpwwa.ca

someone has to respond and in a small util- A. My family. ity it’s usually the same person. Q. What’s your best advice to a fel- Hanhams Q. What’s something everyone low industry member, or someone knows about you? looking to join the industry? A. That I will go to any extreme to re- A. With my experience operating a always on solve an issue. small utility of 450 customers, working Q. What’s something almost no one solo is not uncommon. There are going to knows about you? be times when you feel quite alone, espe- A. How personally I take criticism to- cially at 2 a.m. in a break down. Don’t be the clock at wards issues that are out of my control. too proud to ask questions; there’s no such Q. What is your proudest profession- thing as a stupid one. Make friends in the al accomplishment? industry, call on them if you need advice or small utility A. Being trusted by senior staff and help, and also offer yourself to help others. council to operate this facility at my dis- It is a very rewarding career path most of cretion. the time, but with any career it has its ups Q. What is your proudest personal and downs. by raissa tetanish accomplishment?

Operator name: Michael Hanhams Q. What is your favourite part of the Water Treatment/Distribution Operator job? Q. Where do you work? A. Operating the utility at my discretion Your local partner for water A. Municipality of the District of Guys- with the support and help of my employer. borough. Q. What is your least favourite part treatment chemicals and services Q. How long have you worked in the of the job? industry? A. I stress way too much over things I Flocculants Coagulants A. 14 years. can’t control. Polymers Stern PAC Q. When did you join MPWWA and Q. How did you first become involved what are the advantages of being a in the industry? Commodity Chemicals Feed & Control Equipment member? A. I was working in public works at the Foam & Odour Control Laboratory Supplies/Training A. Approximately 12 years ago; I rely time the water plant was being constructed on the training and enjoy the seminars to and was encouraged to move up. keep up-to-date on new technology. Q. What’s the least understood part Government required NSF ANSI 60 Certiﬁ ed Products Q. What’s the biggest challenge in of your job? What else should the pub- your job? lic know about what you do? A. My biggest challenge is trying to keep A. What it actually takes to get safe, po- Millennium Water Management Limited ahead of my workload. As a small utility, table water to a consumer’s tap. In a small POTABLE, INDUSTRIAL & WASTE WATER TREATMENT there are issues that surface constantly, utility, the clock doesn’t always stop at 65 Coventry Ln., Dartmouth, NS B2V 2K5 • 902-462-3868 then things have to become prioritized. 5 p.m. When an alarm comes in at 2 a.m., E-mail: [email protected] 184380

184391 Page 6 • Maritime Provinces Water & Wastewater Report • October 2020 www.mpwwa.ca Straight Pipe Replacement Program on track for Municipality of the District of Lunenburg

Gayle Wilson In all, there are 1,735 properties in the where we started. A year-and-a-half ago, Of the total 1735 properties, there are 50 program area. Of those, 1,127 systems we were at over 850 properties requiring property owners from whom MODL has The Municipality of the District of were confirmed by way of record received, inspections to be made. A lot of progress had no communication. Lunenburg’s (MODL) Straight Pipe Re- through MODL’s own search efforts, or being made over the last just about two Butts said staff are now looking to con- placement Program is on track for another by property inspections. MODL has con- years getting that number where it is to- tact those 50, “so we can look towards final- successful year, according to project coor- firmed there are more than 300 properties day,” said Butts. izing our final target for installations as we dinator Maria Butts. within the Wastewater Management Dis- The target this year is 400 inspections, come into the last half of our program.” In an update at MODL’s Policy and trict that are eligible for the program. with 316 having been completed to date, Strategy Committee meeting in Septem- Of the 300 eligible properties, owners of and 364 last season. ber, Butts reported that 195 approved 248 of them have signed agreements allow- septic systems have been installed around ing the municipality to begin undertaking the river in the first three years of the pro- work on their properties on behalf of the gram — 77 in 2018, 73 in 2019, and 45 sys- program, according to Butts. tems installed so far this season, which At that figure, she’s confident the mu- started in June. nicipality will be able to recover its costs “So we have made really great progress in administering the program. this year. I don’t have any concerns at this To date, 244 design assessments had stage about being able to meet our target been completed and of those have com- of between 70 and 80 sites this season,” pleted 239 designs that are approved said Butts. by the property owners and gone on to the In 2017, MODL signed an agreement with Department of Environment for installa- the Nova Scotia and federal governments to tion approval. orchestrate and jointly fund the program, “We certainly are crossing our figures which is designed to alleviate the problem for some favourable fall weather, but all of straight pipes carrying raw sewage from things considered we’re in a very good po- residences into the LaHave River. sition,” said Butts. The municipality developed a Waste- A remaining 173 properties still require water Management District, and all prop- an inspection for the municipality to de- erties within the district are required to termine whether they qualify under the demonstrate the existence of approved program. systems. “That number has come down a lot 187357

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andy Walker resolution to declare a water shortage and produce harmful toxins. Blooms can occur approximately 12 million litres per day. impose restrictions on use. The general at any time of year, but are more common Like many parts of the Maritimes, Monc- The City of Moncton has amended its manager said the amendment allows for in summer or early fall. ton experienced a dry summer that impact- bylaw on Development, Maintenance and more flexibility to new or unknown issues, On Aug. 12, the city issued a request to ed on reservoir levels. Supply of Water to give the city manager such as the risk of a toxic blue-green algae all customers to voluntarily reduce their The Turtle Creek reservoir has been the authority to impose water consumption re- bloom in one of the reservoirs. water consumption to necessary activi- tri-community’s primary drinking water strictions. Blue-green algae are naturally occur- ties only. Tait said the aim was to preserve supply since 1962, and has a capacity of The change is designed to allow the city ring microscopic organisms found in both more water in the reservoir, therefore about 7 billion litres. The Tower Road res- to react quickly in the event there is a se- fresh and salt water. Under conditions keeping the water deeper and cooler, and ervoir, opened in 2014, supplies the Turtle rious risk to the water supply in the Hub such as warm water temperatures, high will help in keeping the nutrients, Creek reservoir and provides an addition- City. Bruce Tait, the city’s general manager nutrient loads, and other influences, blue- algae, and any toxins they produce as al 10 billion litres of drinking water supply of operations, explained in a news release green algae can multiply quickly and cre- diluted as possible. to the communities of Moncton, Dieppe, the bylaw previously required a council ate blooms. These blooms can sometimes By Aug. 23, overall consumption had and Riverview. dropped by approximately 21 per cent, or Tender awarded for next wellfield project phase The Town of Cornwall has awarded the take approximately a year. tender for the second phase of its wellfield Councillor Elaine Barnes, who chairs project. the Water and Sewer Committee, told a re- Island Coastal Services Inc. was the cent council meeting the community has lone bidder when tenders closed and experienced “unprecedented growth over council decided to award the contract for the past several years.” She added the ad- $1,534,226.50. The same company also com- ditional wellfield is required to ensure • Inspection of hydrants and valves • Flow pressure & fire flow testing pleted the access road and laying the trans- “a clean and safe potable water supply is mission pipe during the first phase of the available for the town for the long term • Unidirectional flushing of water main design • AquaZoom camera diagnosis of wastewater project at a cost of a little over $1 million. and to enable future growth.” and execution systems The wellfield, which will double the wa- Cornwall is receiving federal and pro- • Leak detection • Manhole inspections with 360 degree ter supply for the town of approximately vincial funding under the Investing in 4,000, is being built on 11 hectares near the Canada Infrastructure Program to help • AquaCad Suite hydraulic modelling software camera community’s western boundary. Work got with the cost of the project. • Hazen-Williams coefficient testing • Canalis Wastewater collection software underway in late August and is expected to 187358 #9-50 Thornhill Drive, Dartmouth, N.S. B3B 1S1 | [email protected] | (902) 499-1965 | www.aquadata.com

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