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JournalIn this issue

F E A T U R E S

2009 Conference Information ....................................................................4

Northern Opinion – By Ron Kent................................................................6

Editor’s Notes – Ken Johnson .......................................................................8

LAC DE GRAS – By Ken JohnsonNorthern Diamond Mines – Infrastructure Fuelled by “Ice” ..............10

SNAP LAKE – By Rick JohnsonMembrane Bio-Reactor Wastewater Treatment Plantat the Snap Lake Diamond Mine, N.W.T..............................................12

DIAVIK – By Ken JohnsonDiavik Diamond Mine Water Management Plan ................................16

NUNAVUT – By Bob ChappleInfrastructure Obstacles to Development in Nunavut ........................20

NORMAN WELLS – By Glen GuthrieBosworth Creek Monitoring Project Near Norman Wells, N.W.T. .....23

RANKIN INLET – By Brent Wootton & Stephanie CollinsLogistics for Implementing and Operating a Remote Testing Lab in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut ...............................................................28

YELLOWKNIFE – By Ron Kent and Clay PeckResidential Fuel Spills in Yellowknife, N.W.T.: The Plague of Necessity .........................................................................30

KASHECHEWANWater and Sewer Challenges in Kashechewan, Ontario......................33

CCME – By Catherine Mallet & Anne WilsonCCME Strategy and the North ..............................................................37

CARCROSSSolid Waste Management in Carcross, Yukon .....................................40

President’s Report – Sean Austman-Kunkel ...............................................44

Executive Director’s Report – Olivia Lee .....................................................45

Index to Advertisers...................................................................................46

COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT BOON, P.ENG.

4 Journal of the Northern Territories Water & Waste Association 2009

The NTWWA’s Annual Conference has become the highlight of

the year, not only for the Association members, but also the

water and waste management sector across the north, which

includes engineers, technologists, suppliers, regulators, con-

tractors, administrators, and operators. The 2009 conference

and workshop in Cambridge Bay will feature a conference with

20 exceptional technical presentations, and a day long opera-

tor workshop.

The theme of the conference is " Water Ways: The Lifeline of

the North.” We are planning for the 2009 Great Northern

Drinking Water Challenge. In 2008, the Town of Fort Smith was

the winner of the fourth annual event.

TRADE SHOW

The conference will feature exhibits with many products and servic-

es, and companies and product representatives who know what

works in the north.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS AND OPERATOR WORKSHOP

Water Treatment Plant Operators can earn 1 Continuing Education

Credit for attending the conference and the Operator Workshop on

October 17. The workshop will feature "hands-on" sessions with

great practical information for Operators.

REGISTRATION

Registration is now available, so visit www.ntwwa.com or

call 867-873-4325.

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT Annual Conference, Trade Show & Workshop Cambridge Bay, NunavutOctober 17, 18 and 19, 2009

5Journal of the Northern Territories Water & Waste Association 2009

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NORTHERNOPINION

WHEELSWITHINWHEELS IN THE FARNORTH

“Wheels within wheels" is an ancient phrase and has generally

come to mean something that is not easily understood – that

there is more to the situation than may appear on the surface.

Originally attributed to Ezekiel, the phrase represents com-

plexity, suggesting that one must look past the superficial to see

deeper into a problem or situation or intent … like the Russian

Matryoshka dolls; we open one, only to find another, and inside

that, yet another and another, and so on.

The phrase can also have a more sinister connotation – that

there are ulterior motives behind seemingly innocuous actions,

all part of a larger and less obvious plan. And so it is with a sense

of both trepidation and relief that we greet the recently CCME-

endorsed Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of

Municipal Wastewater Effluent.

While not yet in force for the North, it does provide some

direction to compliance and sampling programs. I guess it

should, since most of that northern strategy came from the

North. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Just ask the people who

wrote most of it – northerners. You know who they are.

The number 1 outcome for the strategy is somewhat disap-

pointing (sic) – Improve Human Health and Environ mental

Protection.

More Wheels?Show me where in the N.W.T. or Nunavut that human health is

actually compromised by a non-compliant-with-this-strategy

effluent or the environment is greatly affected. Anywhere?

Perhaps 35 years ago (pre-1974 GNWT Sanitation Policy) and

NORTHERNOPINION

By Ron Kent, P.Eng.FSC Architects & Engineers Inc.

even 25 years ago, but not five years ago when all this national

strategy stuff really got rolling.

At least the number 2 outcome – “Harmonization” is some-

what more transparent. Harmonization means “meets the

Fisheries Act” even though the actual strategy itself doesn’t.

More Wheels?But what I really wanted to write about was lagoons, wetlands

and engineering science.

A couple of years ago I was looking for a more definitive arith-

metic model to describe northern wetlands, as I was trying to

figure out how to build one in Cape Dorset. I compared and con-

trasted the USEPA model used in Alaska, the first principals plug

flow model of a support growth system, trickling filter design

and the new draft of the Alberta wetland guidelines.

In my analysis, they all gave about the same result. Alberta's

model allowed a simplified reaction rate factor for temperature

that compared favourably to the first principals plug flow model.

This allowed me to apply this model and take location into con-

sideration on a broader scale adjusting for cooler temperatures

by reducing the reaction rate, just as one would in any biological

or chemical reaction model.

It made sense to me as a basic algebraic model, and provided

an area for treatment and a potential effluent quality. There was

no need for specialized knowledge of macrophyte species-spe-

cific reaction kinetics and more wheels. These advance consider-

ations may be important on commissioning day, but after the

wetland has established itself as a treatment site, I assume that

the plants that want to be there, will be there.

I believe most northern designers now use the Alberta model.

We know that lagoons followed by wetlands, are one of the

three technologies that have the capability of meeting the

Fisheries Act, and just about every north of 60o community with

a lagoon that can have, does have a wetland following it.

I’m glad to see the wetlands work that Fleming College is

doing in the Kivalliq region. Their research is important and I am

looking forward to the SubWet 2.0 model. I hope it’s available for

general consumption and easy to use.

We have similar 10-year-old data from some of the same wet-

lands in the Kivalliq, showing how well they worked. It wasn’t

research level data, but it gave us confidence in our designs.

What upsets me the most is that recommendations I made over

the years to improve these wetland were never implemented.

But we knew 10, 20 and even 30 years ago that wetlands

worked. For the latter date, R.N. Dawson and J.W. Grainge

showed us the way in Hay River. They were at the head of all the

really great minds that have worked on lagoons and wetlands,

including James J. Cameron, Archibald Pick, Robert Kowal, Dr.

Gary W. Heinke, and Dr. Daniel W. Smith. This august group of

engineers are without parallel and developed the science that

protected our health and environment to this day and led both

the Blue Book and the science that we presently use to design

these systems.

My question: Instead of more studies and Ottawa-based flying

squads to see if lagoons and wetlands work, why don’t we sim-

ply study the models we already use to refine them?

It would be nice to have more data and better studies to sup-

port the design work that has gone on, but just because we

don't have it, doesn't mean that what we are doing is wrong. It is

a sad fact that generally speaking there is about a two-year half-

life for regulatory officers in the various boards. And I suppose,

put in their place, I would be asking for more than a design as

proof that something works.

And that’s the problem, isn’t it? We know they work, but we

can’t “prove” it – especially to the new kids on the block. �



CITYNOTES

The fifth edition of the Journal brings a slightly different

flavour with a focus on northern diamond mines, but also a

focus on water resources. I have to admit that my favourite

article of this edition is Glen Guthrie’s article on Bosworth

Creek. This article is unique with its water resources focus,

and its focus on education.

Thanks to Ron Kent, who has come forward with an

opinion or three on the CCME Canada-wide strategy. We

have only just begun to tackle this particular challenge. Ron

has been noticeably absent from the NTWWA activities since

his retirement as executive director, however, his low profile

was much deserved.

And finally, my “Northern Opinion” last year entitled “The

Link between Sovereignty and Infrastructure in the

Canadian North” appears to be timely with the current “hot”

activity associated with trying to define the submarine

extent of Canadian real estate, and the suggestion by some

Russians that sovereignty-related activity by Canada could

provoke a military response from Russia. Very interesting

times we live in. �

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LAC DE GRAS

Journal of the Northern Territories Water & Waste Association 200910

When Europeans first explored the tundra

of the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.), 200

km south of the Arctic Circle, they called it

the Barren Lands – an area of Ice Age rock

and boulders with thousands of tiny blue

lakes. This area is so far north, the only

vegetation it supports are small trees that

cling to the ground, in addition to sedge

and grass, and arctic wild flowers.

One of the largest lakes in the area, 350

km northeast of Yellowknife, is Lac de

Gras. The Dogrib people call it Ekati,

(English translation – Fat Lake) because

the bits of quartz found on its shores

resemble caribou fat. The land surround-

ing the lake is the traditional hunting

ground of the Dene and the Inuit, where

350,000 caribou pass through each spring

and fall.

In 1992, this area of the N.W.T. was thefocus of a swarm of prospectors andgeologists in search of diamonds. Thesewere not industrial diamonds, but thehighly prized white diamonds. InOctober 1998, Canada's first diamondmine, Ekati, moved into production, andsince then about $500 million worth ofgems has been annually mined. This wasjust the first of several diamond mines,which now includes Diavik – also on Lacde Gras – and Snap Lake in the N.W.T.,and the much smaller Jericho Mine inNunavut. Each one of these mines, withthe exception of Jericho, spent over $1billion with initial capital investments, $5billion in total, which represents infra-structure fuelled entirely by diamonds or“ice” to which it is also referred.

By the end of 2007 the diamond mineshad produced about 80 million caratswith an estimated value of $9 billion.

This permafrost area experiences tem-peratures during the winter months thatmay reach -54 C. The site is accessible byair and a 425-kilometre ice road, which isopen for 10 to 12 weeks each year. Sinceconstruction started on the mining proj-ects in 1996, these mines have grown intocommunities with populations that eachpeaked in excess of 700 people. Projects ofthis magnitude had not been undertakennorth of 60 since the Canol and AlaskaHighway projects of the early 1940s.

Open-pit mining methods have beeninitially used to mine the ore, withunderground mining scheduled in thefuture. Ore is hauled from the pits in 200-tonne trucks to the process plant. Ore isprocessed at the Ekati Mine at a rate ofbetween 10,000 and 15,000 tonnes per

day. At the process plant, the ore is

crushed, screened and washed produc-

ing a concentrate. Heavy minerals and

diamonds are recovered from the con-

centrate using heavy media separation,

and the remaining concentrate is moved

by pneumatic conveyor to the final

recovery plant where further diamonds

will be sorted using x-ray technology.

With this sorting system, the concen-

trate passes through an x-ray tube,

under which the diamonds' lumines-

cence triggers an air jet, which diverts

the diamonds into an extraction chute.

The infrastructure elements in the

development of the diamond mines

have included:

• Mine support facilities.

• Ore crushing and conveying equip-

ment.

• Stockpiling and reclaiming equip-

ment.

• Process plant.

• Tailings treatment systems.

• On-site run-off collection systems.

• Diesel power plant.

• Process and potable water supplies.

• Sewage treatment and disposal.

• Shops, warehoused, administration

buildings.

• Accommodation complex and other

ancillary facilities.

• Air strip roads.

• Plant roads.

The tailings management plan for the

Ekati Mine utilizes frozen core earth

dams to impound the tailings water. The

frozen core material, consisting of

crushed gravel and hot water was mixed

in a plant facility, loaded onto haul trucks

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NORTHERN DIAMOND MINES – INFRASTRUCTUREFUELLED BY “ICE”

By Ken Johnson, P.Eng., AECOM

Journal of the Northern Territories Water & Waste Association 2009 11

LAC DE GRAS

Thermosyphon serving frozen

core dam at EkatiDiamond Mine.

and placed in 300-millimetre lifts, which froze dur-

ing a 24-hour period. Thermosyphons extend verti-

cally through the core and beneath the base of the

dam to maintain the integrity of the permafrost.

Engineering on the projects required careful sched-

uling in order to purchase materials and equipment

for transportation over the winter ice road. The ice

road to Ekati and Diavik is a 400-kilometre path over a

series of frozen lakes and portages from Yellowknife.

Almost 11,000 truckloads of materials travelled across

the ice road during the 12-week shipping window in

2007. Delivery of materials to the sites, particularly

fuel, is critical to ongoing operations.

Since Canada’s diamond mining industry began

development in 1995 to the end of 2006, it has pro-

vided 18,000 person-years of direct employment to

Canadians, including 10,500 person-years to northern

and Aboriginal Canadians, and accounted for 50 per

cent of the GDP for the Northwest Territories. �

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12

SNAP LAKE

Journal of the Northern Territories Water & Waste Association 2009

Membrane Bio-Reactors (MBRs) are

becoming increasingly mainstream in all

wastewater applications, and one area

where their advantages are particularly

beneficial is in remote camps, such as

the mine and construction camps in

Northern Canada. Sanitherm Inc. has

designed and supplied packaged MBR

treatment plants for most of the north-

ern mines in Canada, ranging from Snap

Lake, N.W.T., to Attawapiskat on James

Bay.

Package plants for the North have

some very specific requirements that are

not necessarily reflected in southern

installations. Just a few of the challenges

include very stringent effluent-quality

limits, transportability, operator avail-

ability and the climatic conditions. MBR

plants have a number of inherent fea-

tures that make them suitable for this

application.

Some people may think that because

these camps are “way out in the middle

of nowhere” the wastewater disposal

doesn’t matter. In fact, the severe north-

ern environment has very little assimila-

tive capacity for any pollution dis-

charges, therefore camps must minimize

their waste discharge to a greater extent

Discharge from Snap Lake membrane bio-reactor sewage treatment plant.

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With their extensive northern

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project sizes in diversified activities

including road, runway, water and

sewer distribution, wharf, blasting,

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SNAP LAKE

than may be necessary in southern envi-

ronments. This means not only treating

the wastewater to a very high standard,

but also ensuring that the plants are well-

maintained.

In terms of process, an MBR is just a con-

ventional activated sludge plant with very

effective final clarifier, therefore most

treatment plant operators will already be

familiar with the basic operating concepts

of an MBR.

A typical MBR plant will consist of a fine

inlet screen, followed by an aerated flow

equalization tank, then an anoxic tank to

provide ammonia reduction; the waste-

water then flows into a Supplemental

Aeration (SA) tank where the aerobic treat-

ment begins. After the SA tank, the aerat-

ed sewage flows into the membrane tank

where the solids/liquid separation occurs.

The effluent from the plant is then disin-

fected, generally with UV disinfection.

One of the design factors that affects

the activated sludge design is the “solids

loading” into the final clarifier. This is a

function of the limit on the quantity solids

that can be put into the final clarifier, while

still maintaining a flow through it. These

concerns do not affect the design of an

MBR plant. An MBR doesn’t rely on gravity

separation of the solids in a final clarifier

(the MLSS or “Mixed Liquor Suspended

Solids”) because the membranes provide

this solids/liquid separation.

If you can operate the aerobic reactor

tank with a higher ratio of solids (i.e., more

“bugs” per cubic metre), the plant will have

more bugs in a smaller volume. A typical

activated sludge plant may operate with a

MLSS concentration of 3,500 mg/l or 3.5

kilograms of bugs per cubic metre, an MBR

will operate at between 10,000 to 15,000

mg/l or 10 to 15 kilograms of bugs per cubic

metre. More hungry mouths per cubic

metre mean that you require fewer cubic

metres. This makes the reactor tank much

smaller, typically one-third to one-fifth of a

By Rick Johnson, Sanitherm Inc.

Snap Lake Diamond Mine membrane bio-reactor sewage treatment plant.

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SNAP LAKE

regulator-sized aeration tank. The elimi-

nation of a final clarifier with an MBR also

significantly reduces the plant size.

What does all this theory mean in a

practical sense? It means that because

the plant is smaller, it can be built in a

smaller building; a smaller building is

easier to build, heat and transport. An

MBR doesn’t rely on gravity for the

solids/liquid separation, but rather plas-

tic sheets with very small holes. These

holes are less than 0.10 micron in size or

smaller than bacteria, and more than

100 times smaller than a human hair.

The effluent coming out of an MBR is

clear (less than 1 NTU), very few solids

(2 or 3 mg/l Total Suspended Solids

[TSS]), and because of the high concen-

tration of bugs (lots of hungry mouths)

and lots of air (high Dissolved Oxygen

[DO]), the Biochemical Oxygen Demand

(BOD) will be very low, typically 1 or 2

mg/l with equally low levels of ammo-

nia. The anoxic zone of the MBR pro-

duces low total nitrogen levels, and

alum dosing combined with the very

low TSS, may produce phosphorus lev-

els of less than 0.5 mg/l.

Now all the operator has to do is

ensure that he keeps the food coming

and the air on!

Not everything, however, is perfect in

the MBR world. We’ve learned that the

smaller plants are subjected to operating

conditions that are completely contrary

to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Because of their portability, these treat-

ment plants are regularly moved from

site to site and not always with the care

and attention they deserve. If the wet

membranes are allowed to freeze, there

is a risk they will damage the membrane

fabric and the 0.1 micron holes will

become much larger.

An MBR will use more power than a

conventional treatment plant. This is

due to the less-efficient aeration. Most

MBRs use coarse-bubble aeration,

which has a lower oxygen transfer effi-

ciency that most fine-bubble aeration

systems. Coarse-bubble aeration is used

in an MBR in order to optimize the mem-

brane scouring to keep the membranes

clean. This is rarely a major concern, as

most camps have sufficient power and,

in addition, the smaller footprint more

than compensates for this.

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SNAP LAKE

Some of the other concerns are to do

with the operator and the cold.

Because an MBR doesn’t have a final

clarifier, the frequent monitoring of the

reactor solids, the characteristics of the

“floc” (coagulated solids) and other

operating parameters become less

important. An MBR plant must receive

regular attention. The key point here is

that “low maintenance” doesn’t mean

“no maintenance.”

One may be asked about the cold

weather operation. In our experience,

the camp wastewater is usually warm.

The pipe runs are short and the pipes

are insulated and heat-traced. As well,

the packaged plant buildings are heat-

ed and insulated. This is important,

because as “magic” as the MBR process

is, it’s still a biological process that

depends on the bacteria and the biolo-

gy. These bugs don’t work as efficient-

ly when the water temperature is

below 10 C. In addition, the cooler

water is more viscous, lowering the

effective through-put (flux rate) of the

treated water.

Experience with MBRs in northern

applications such as the Snap Lake

Diamond Mine, has been quite positive,

combining the attributes of small foot-

print, high-quality effluent and easier

operation than with conventional acti-

vated sludge technology. �

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DIAVIK

IntroductionThe Lac de Gras watershed is a pris-

tine region feeding into the

Coppermine River, which travels 850

kilometers to the Arctic Ocean at the

community of Kugluktuk. This river is a

world-class Arctic Char fishery and a

traditional harvesting area for the Inuit

of the Kugluktuk Region.

Lac de Gras is 60 kilometres long,

with an average width of 16 kilometres,

and 740 kilometres of shoreline. The

average depth of Lac de Gras is 12

metres, with a maximum depth of 56

metres. As an arctic lake, it is cold year

round, with temperatures ranging from

0 C to 4 C in the winter and 4 C to 21 C

in the summer. Lac de Gras freezes in

October and spring breakup is in July.

The average ice thickness is 1.5 metres.

Typical of arctic lakes, aquatic produc-

tivity in the lake is low because of the

relatively low concentrations of nutri-

ent low-light levels during winter

months with the ice cover, and low

water temperatures.

The Diavik Diamond Mine is built on a

large island in Lac de Gras, 300 kilome-

tres northeast of Yellowknife, and has

been operating since 2003. To prevent

run-off from the site from entering the

lake, the mine was constructed with an

extensive water collection and treat-

ment system. Through a system of

sumps, piping, storage ponds and reser-

voirs, the mine collects run-off water,

which can be reused in processing or

treated before being released back into

Lac de Gras.

DIAVIK DIAMOND MINE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN


DIAVIK

Plant and surface operations water

management requirements include:

• North Inlet Water Treatment Plant

(NIWTP) and North Inlet containment

and outfall.

• Surface run-off and seepage pond sys-

tem.

• Potable water, sewage treatment, raw

water and fire water.

• Recycling and raw water use associat-

ed with the process plant and the

Processed Kimberlite Containment

(PKC) facility.

North Inlet Containment andWater Treatment Plant

The North Inlet Water Treatment Plant

(NIWTP), North Inlet containment, and

the North Inlet outfall have the funda-

mental objective of treating water to

meet compliance requirements prior to

discharge to the environment.

Waters directed to the North Inlet

originate from:

• Pit and underground inflows.

• Surface run-off from North Inlet

drainage basin.

• Surface run-off from disturbed areas.

• Water transfers from the Pond 3.

Water inflows are received at the

North Inlet and then pumped to the

NIWTP for treatment. The North Inlet has

an estimated 2.5 million cubic metres of

storage. The North Inlet provides surge

storage capacity and allows some solids

to settle before water is treated at the

NIWTP. The NIWTP was designed to

remove fine solids in cold water condi-

tions. Major system components include

coagulant and flocculant preparation

equipment, four high-capacity clarifiers,

and four deep bed sand filters.

The filters and pH-control system have

not been required to achieve water

license compliance, thus the NIWTP is

operated with the clarifiers on a stand-

alone basis. The capacity of the system

has recently been expanded to 90,000

m3/day, which in comparison is more

The Diavik Diamond Mine on Lac de Gras is the headwaters of the Coppermine River,which flows past historic Bloody Falls on its way to the Arctic Ocean.

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than four times the proposed water

treatment capacity for the City of

Yellowknife. Treated effluent is dis-

charged into Lac de Gras via two sub-

merged outfall and diffusers located 200

metres offshore at a depth of 20 metres.

Surface Run-Off Management Surface run-off historically occurs over

a five-month period from May toSeptember. Run-off volumes depend onthe particular weather conditions, andDiavik selected one in 100-year-returnconditions for sizing surface run-off col-lection systems.

The surface run-off collection systemconsists of a network of ponds that col-lect run-off from the North Country RockPile, South Plant Site (Ponds 10, 11 and12) and the Processed KimberliteContainment (PKC) dam toes. Pipelinesare permanently installed to permit

transfer of waters from the collectionponds to the PKC facility. Collectionponds are designed to hold, without dis-charge to the environment, 100 per centof a one in 100-year-return periodfreshet occurring over an eight-day peri-od. As pond watershed surface areas willchange over the life of the mine, themaximum watershed area was consid-ered during pond design.

Aircraft fuelling and de-icing is per-formed on the airport apron, which issloped toward the North Inlet. Fuel orde-icing spills would be directed to theNorth Inlet.

Pond 3, located west of the NorthCountry Rock Pile, collects seepage fromthe North Country Rock Pile and can beused as temporary storage for minewater. If water quality meets dischargecriteria, it may be discharged to Lac deGras; otherwise it is transferred to the

North Inlet or the PKC facility. The pondwater collection system was designed totransfer pond waters to the PKC facility. Ifcollected run-off waters meet the waterlicense quality limits, they may be dis-charged directly to Lac de Gras.

Potable Water Supply andSewage Treatment

The potable water system consists ofdeep bed multi-media filters, polishingfilters, and chlorine dosing. The rawwater is supplied from the overall rawwater supply system. The plant is sizedto accommodate 800 persons.

Raw and fire water are pumped fromLac de Gras through distribution systemsservicing the south plant site. The rawwater system has a design capacity of250 m3/hour, plus standby capacity. Flowdemands include the process and recov-ery plant, a mobile equipment wash bay,


DIAVIK

The Diavik water management system schematic shows the extensive collection, reuse and treatment processes.

and the potable water. The fire water sys-tem has a design capacity of 454m3/hour plus standby capacity.

The South Sewage Treatment Plant(SSTP) services the south plant siteincluding operating facilities, the con-struction camp, and permanent accom-modations. Sewage treatment capacityis designed to accommodate 800 per-sons at a design flow rate of 300 litres /person / day, for a total of 320 m3/day.The SSTP is an activated sludge systemwith tertiary filtration. Treated effluent isdisinfected with chlorine. The WWTP dis-charges into the PKC system.

Processed Kimberlite Containment(PKC) Facility

Key objectives of the PKC facility andprocess water management system areto provide storage of processed kimber-lite (PK), act as an equalization reservoirfor supernatant water and run-off waterfor process plant reuse, and providerecycled water to the process plant.

The process and recovery plants areboth the primary consumers and suppli-ers of water to the PKC facility. The plantsconsume reclaim water and raw waterfor ore processing, and generate coarse(1 mm to 6 mm) and fine (less than1mm) PK. Coarse PK is transported bytruck to the coarse PKC storage area, andfine PK is transported as slurry via aninsulated pipeline to the PKC facility.

The process and recovery plants aredesigned to maximize reclaim waterrecovered from the PKC pond to mini-mize raw water use. Reclaim water isused for, essentially, all process servicesin the process plant.

ConclusionsThe Diavik Diamond Mine is a unique

world-class operation, with world-classwater management systems. The watermanagement demands on Diavik andthe other diamond mines in theCanadian North have been high, butgiven the pristine nature of the environ-ment, these demands were warranted. �


DIAVIK

The Diavik water management system uses sumps, piping, storage ponds and reservoirs.

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NUNAVUT

Every community in Nunavut, no matter its size or geographical

location, has pertinent infrastructure that contributes to an

acceptable level of sustainability. The location of the infrastruc-

ture can be a major obstacle to future development in the com-

munity, but the infrastructure alone is not the only obstacle to

development. The regulations associated with the infrastructure

can place greater restrictions that can impede development.

Infrastructure, such as sewage disposal sites, solid waste dis-

posal sites, reservoirs, water lakes, airports, snow fences and sci-

entific installations, are some of the obstacles to development

that many Nunavut municipalities must address in selecting

land for future development. The Baker Lake planning maps

clearly depict the infrastructure and availability of land.

Probably the most controversial obstacles to development are

the required setbacks from sewage and solid waste disposal

sites. According to the General Sanitation Regulations of the

Public Health Act, Section No. 8, no development other than

industrial development can occur within 450 metres of a dispos-

al site. This regulation is enforced by the Chief Medical Officer

and the Environmental Health Officers of the Department of

Health and Social Services (HSS) in each region of Nunavut.

Prior to 1998, Health and Social Services (HSS) would reduce

the 450-metre setback to the boundary of the disposal site, if the

site was cleaned and capped. However, since the establishment

of Nunavut and partly due to the high turnover rate of employ-

ees, corporate knowledge of this flexibility that the Government

of Northwest Territories (GNWT) had has been lost. The new

employees of HSS proceed without this knowledge and fol-

INFRASTRUCTURE OBSTACLES TO DEVELOPMENT IN NUNAVUT

Old landfills in and around Iqaluit remain a concern from their proximity to the community and also from therequirements to remediate each of the sites.


NUNAVUT

lowed the Acts and Regulations. However, development has

already occurred or has been identified for future development

during the GNWT era within these setbacks, in some instances.

Considering that the municipalities took over the responsibili-

ties of land development in 1996, they also inherited this prob-

lem from the Territorial Government. In recent years, HSS has

reduced the setbacks in communities such as Iqualuit, where

land development is encroaching on old waste sites and, for oth-

ers, has indicated that an application and environmental assess-

ments will have to be submitted to reduce the setbacks (see

Kugluktuk land use plan).

Putting this controversy of the old waste disposal sites to the

side, the setbacks from existing waste disposal sites are obvious-

ly major obstacles to development that must be respected to

protect public health. From a planning perspective, there is no

disagreement with HSS on this issue, but it should be noted that

the setbacks are more severe than in other jurisdictions, such as

in B.C. and Alberta where the setbacks are only 300 metres.

Health and Social Services have indicated they want to review

the current Act and Regulations.

By Bob Chapple, MCIPManager of Planning, Government of Nunavut

Kugluktuk land-useplan, showing possible

new development with-in setback limits of old

waste disposal site.

Infrastructure

Environment

Communities

Facilities

www.dillon.ca

4920 47th Street, Yellowknife

867.920.4555


NUNAVUT

Considering that a setback of a specific distance will remain

around old waste disposal sites, closing an existing site or devel-

oping a new site must be seriously evaluated before taking

action. From a planning perspective, relocating a waste disposal

site must be avoided wherever possible in order to prevent

another obstacle to development.

Community expansion and airports are also in constant con-

flict. Every community in Nunavut has an airport, which is essen-

tial for basic survival of the community. Air transportation is

required for medical treatment and supplies, food, movement of

people and basic essentials. However, in communities where air-

ports are located close to the built-up area of the community,

the airport is an obstacle to development. Airports in the North

have similar development related limitations to the waste dis-

posal sites; these limitations are enforced by Transport Canada.

These limitations include the takeoff and approach trajectories

and transitions, development in proximity to the airport, and

development in proximity of the air navigational equipment.

Choices will have to be made by the municipalities and the

Government of Nunavut either to relocate the airports or to

develop residential lots further from the communities in areas

where development costs could be considerably higher.

Infrastructure provides essential services to the communities.

The communities, however, are growing so rapidly, the infra-

structure has now become an obstacle to development.

The only solution is for the responsible departments of the

infrastructure and the municipalities to work together and

demonstrate some flexibility to resolve the problems. If the

departments knew of the implications to municipalities, they

would probably be more flexible. Long distance communication,

delays to obtain a response, and high turnover rate of municipal

and territorial employees, has also contributed to these issues

being unresolved for long periods. There has been some success

in recent years and a better understanding of this issue on both

sides, which has lead to some optimism. �


NORMAL WELLS

Introduction

The Sahtu Renewable Resources Board (SRRB) is the main instru-

ment of wildlife and forest management in the Sahtu Settlement

Area (approximately 283,000 square kilometres) surrounding

Norman Wells, and is a regional co-management board that was

created through the Sahtu Dene and Métis Comprehensive Land

Claim Agreement in 1993. The Bosworth Creek Monitoring Project

(BCMP) is a high resolution, long-term study of a 125-square-kilo-

metre watershed at Norman Wells, N.W.T. (65 degrees 18 minutes

north latitude and 126 degrees 41 minutes west longitude).

Norman Wells is south of the limit of continuous permafrost,

however, the soil has a high ice content, is unstable and is sub-

ject to heaving. On the better drained area, black spruce, tama-

rack, white birch, and alder grow. Portions of the surrounding

area are muskeg with mosses grasses and bushes. Norman Wells

has an average of 126 frost-free days per year. The mean daily

temperature in January is -29 C and the mean daily temperature

in July is 16 C. About 195 millimetres of rain fall each year.

Typical vegetation and terrain around Norman Wells.

By Glen GuthrieCommunications Officer, Sahtu Renewable Resources Board

BOSWORTH CREEK MONITORING PROJECT NEAR NORMAN WELLS, N.W.T.


CITYNORMAN WELLS

The project was initiated after the

SRRB received a request from local resi-

dents in 2006 for information on fish

stocks in Bosworth Creek, following the

removal of a weir on the creek in 2005.

The weir was constructed in 1960 to cre-

ate a pond needed to run a power gen-

eration station for an oil refinery. Closure

of the refinery resulted in dismantling

the weir by Imperial Oil Resources NWT

Limited under a Reclamation and

Restoration Plan.

The BCMP is facilitated by the SRRB

and involves local youth and community

volunteers. The project has mapped the

physical and chemical environment, and

has recorded the occurrences of fish,

benthic and terrestrial invertebrates,

and birds and mammals, which has led

to the creation of baseline biotic and

chemical inventories.

The project is now capable of broad-

ening its investigation to include micro-

habitat studies, monitoring the timing,

distribution and relative abundances of

biotic communities, and focusing more

upon issues related to climate change

that appear to be affecting groundwater

distribution. The project will also contin-

ue to monitor potential impacts by

industry, including the effects of a flare

stack on locally harvested berries.

Ongoing public education opportuni-

ties include presentations, workshops,

publications and affiliations with aca-

demic professionals.

The BCMP has become a permanent

component of Mackenzie Mountain

School’s high school curriculum through

the NWT Experiential Science Program.

The project is currently associated with

more than a dozen academic and gov-

ernment agencies that manage or have

interests in the environment. These asso-

ciations lead to unprecedented access to

expertise by local youth. Working rela-

tionships with scientists from southern

RICHMOND9800 Van Horne WayRichmond, B.C. V6X 1W5Ph.604-273-1441Fax. 604-273-2046

SASKATOON4035 Thatcher AvenueSaskatoon, SK S7R 1A3Ph.306-934-5252Fax.306-242-5397

REGINA284 Mill StreetRegina, SK S4P 3Y3Ph.306-721-4911Fax. 306-721-6300

WINNIPEG99 Lowson CrescentWinnipeg, MB R3P 0T3Ph. 204-489-0102Fax. 204-489-0881

CALGARY4220-78 Avenue S.E.Calgary, AB T2C 2Z5Ph. 403-236-1713Fax. 403-236-2819

EDMONTON16911-118 AvenueEdmonton, AB T5V 1H3Ph. 780-452-6655Fax. 780-451-1027

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Students share observation as part of the Bosworth Creek monitoring project.

Winter sampling is an integral part of the Bosworth Creek monitoring project.


CITYNORMAN WELLS

universities, government agencies and

industry is providing northern high

school students with exceptional scien-

tific career opportunities.

Groundwater, Chemistry

and Climate ChangeThe BCMP is unique in several ways.

First, unlike virtually all other studies,

this one samples water chemistry

throughout the year at specific locations,

including those previously sampled by

industry. This has led to the develop-

ment of a temporal, geographic water-

substrate chemistry profile of the water-

shed and represents the state of current

knowledge for the creek’s chemical envi-

ronment. Any marked changes in the

range of values will indicate change

within the environment, either due to

industrial or natural events. For example,

variations in water chemistry at different

times of the year are apparent and likely

due to varying dependence on ground-

water versus seasonal run-off.

Second, the high resolution nature of

this investigation has resulted in exten-

sive mapping and photo analyses of the

creek. The long-term aspect has allowed

investigators to identify newly develop-

ing sources of very cold groundwater that

enters the creek at five locations on the

lower portion of the creek. Two explana-

tions for this include increased ground-

water volume and alterations in the sub-

strate that created new delivery points.

Finally, the BCMP is investigating the

chemical nature of overflow ice.

Specifically, there are two forms of over-

flow ice based on colour: yellow ice

(occurs annually at specific locations),

and blue-green ice (far more common

and chemically unique). Both types of

ice were treated as though they were

water samples, and tested for total met-

als. The blue-green ice was found to

mimic creek water, whereas the yellow

ice consistently produced elevated lev-

els of nearly all heavy metals including

arsenic, chromium and uranium.

Associations between yellow overflow

and groundwater sources are under

investigation, but so far no clear rela-

tionship has been identified.

Edie Lake lies at the south eastern

boundary of the Bosworth Creek water-

shed and drains into Jackfish Lake by

means of a small unnamed creek. Local

Corporate Headquarters:

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The Bosworth Creek watershed covers 125 square kilometres,


NORMAN WELLS

Mentoring as part of the Bosworth Creek monitoring project. knowledge and previously collected

data by GNWT Department of

Renewable Resources (DRR) [1993] indi-

cate that lake chemistry has changed

dramatically over the past 15 years. This

lake was once considered unhealthy

based on water chemistry, very low

aquatic diversity, and odour. However, a

reconnaissance to Edie Lake in summer

2007, revealed that previous conditions

have changed and are now more

favourable for aquatic life.

Follow-up investigations in 2008,

have confirmed these observations.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH are now

well within the tolerances of “sensitive”

benthic invertebrates, and the lake is

now host to a significant juvenile

northern pike population. As DO levels

drop in this relatively small, shallow

lake during winter, it is unclear

whether the fish can over-winter in

Edie Lake, or migrate to Jackfish Lake.

Regardless, the changes in lake chem-

istry and biotic inhabitants indicate a

dramatic redistribution and/or avail-

ability of groundwater.


NORMAN WELLS

Next Steps

Climate change is resulting in non-

native species introductions and melt-

ing permafrost throughout the North.

This project is tracking these changes

on a local scale through multi-discipli-

nary, ongoing consistent monitoring

that is providing a high-resolution ana-

logue for other northern and high-alti-

tude southern environments. The proj-

ect targets local youth comprised of

approximately 55 per cent Dene and

Métis and 45 per cent other ethnic ori-

gins, and includes approximately equal

participation by both genders. The ulti-

mate goal of this project is to encourage

and support northern youth to pursue

careers in the sciences.

The BCMP has provided an avenue for

Mackenzie Mountain School to under-

take conservation education projects

over the last two years. The demand for

a more hands-on approach to science in

the North is being answered through

the efforts of GNWT Department of

Education, Culture and Employment

(ECE). ECE is currently developing and

Experiential Science Program for Grades

10 to 12 and the BCMP can provide

comprehensive resources to meet these

needs. Therefore, curriculum is being

developed that specifically meets the

requirements of Science 30, while satis-

fying the needs of cutting-edge

research. To this end, the project will be

installing meteorological and water

monitoring stations on Bosworth Creek

in spring 2009. These stations will con-

tribute to research across Canada, while

providing students with hands-on

opportunities to conduct actual real-

time science. �

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RANKIN INLET

Obtaining regular and reliable waste-

water analyses is a challenge for most

northern communities. Water boards

across the North require routine moni-

toring of wastewater treatment sys-

tems, and new regulations, which could

come into effect within the next five

years, may even increase the monitor-

ing responsibilities of communities.

Regional labs in the North can pro-

vide the analytical services required for

wastewater treatment monitoring. The

best example in the North is Taiga

Environmental Laboratory in

Yellowknife. This facility can serve most

if not all the communities in N.W.T., and

some communities outside N.W.T. that

are on direct flight paths with

Yellowknife. Communities in most of

Nunavut and in places such as Nunavik,

northern Quebec, must send their sam-

ples to southern laboratories. Sending

samples to Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto,

or Montreal may appear to be a reason-

able approach to monitoring, however,

for many communities this is not a

viable option.

It is very costly and logistically very

difficult to send samples to southern

laboratories from most locations in the

North. It is usually not possible for sam-

ples to arrive at a southern lab during

business hours on the same day the

sample is taken. In fact, samples from

regional communities won’t even arrive

during business hours at central trans-

portation hubs such as Rankin Inlet or

Iqaluit. Even if samples can be sent out

on early flights and arrive at a southern

airport during business hours, most air

cargo services do not have delivery

services that ensures samples are taken

to a lab upon arrival at the airport.

Asking taxi drivers to pick up samples at

the terminal and take them to the lab is

often the only choice available.

Once the samples arrive at the lab,

the in-take person may or may not

process them for immediate analysis.

More often than not, the samples will

wait until the following day and may in

fact not be processed for several days in

spite of “rush” requests. Some labs have

overnight analytical services and will

process samples immediately, but the

cost for such services is extremely high.

The overall effect is that assurance of

the chain of custody and the integrity

of samples cannot be guaranteed. For

many communities, samples cannot be

delivered to labs within the time limits

recommended. For Biochemical Oxy -

gen Demand (BOD), timing is particu-

larly critical. Standard Methods recom-

mends that BOD tests should be started

within six hours of collection, and when

this is not possible the sample should

be stored at 4 C for up to 24 hours after

which it should be discarded. Without

regional labs, meeting such time con-

straints is not possible.

LOGISTICS FOR IMPLEMENTING AND OPERATING A REMOTE TESTING LAB IN RANKIN INLET, N.W.T.

Setting up remoteenvironmental labin Rankin Inlet.


RANKIN INLET

The Centre for Alternative

Wastewater Treatment at Fleming

College, received funding from the fed-

eral government under the Inter -

national Polar Year program to assess

the efficacy and performance of treat-

ment wetlands in the Kivalliq region of

Nunavut. The research plan involved

the undertaking of some 10,000 analy-

ses in 2008, and sending water samples

south was simply not an option. To

accommodate the high number of

analyses and to ensure high quality

results, the research team established a

lab in the Kivalliq region. Rankin Inlet

was chosen because it is the central

transportation hub in the Kivalliq, and

there are flights most days to and from

all the regional communities.

Setting up a regional lab had its own

challenges. First a space had to be

located and leased with adequate

lighting, ventilation, and a table space

for laboratory work. A source of water

is also required, but chlorinated munic-

ipal water is unsatisfactory for labora-

tory purposes, so some means of puri-

fying the water is essential. In this case,

a distillation unit was acquired and

installed. Incubation cabinets and dry-

ing ovens for some of the tests had to

be shipped well in advance as did a

season’s worth of consumables.

Many southern lab supply compa-

nies don’t even know how to ship to

the North. It is preferable for laboratory

equipment to be small, efficient, and

lightweight; however there isn’t always

a lot of choice in the selection of equip-

ment. The shipping of some supplies,

such as concentrated acid needed for

preservation, is very challenging be -

cause of strict airline regulations. In

some cases chemicals can only be sent

by sealift. The shipping ordeal is not

over when supplies reach the lab. All

hazardous materials have to be stock-

piled and shipped south for proper dis-

posal. In the end, all of these chal-

lenges can be overcome and it is possi-

ble to set up a properly equipped lab in

almost any community in the North.

Operating the lab is the next chal-

lenge. The technicians that ended up

working in the Kivalliq lab were south-

ern trained. Local individuals were ini-

tially hired to assist in lab work, but the

nature of the laboratory activities, and

the small and sometimes warm work-

ing space did not have any appeal for

long-term employment. Compounding

the staffing challenges is the typically

small demand for laboratory analyses

in most regions. The seven communi-

ties in the Kivalliq region do not gener-

ate enough water-license required

monitoring to justify the full-time oper-

ation of a regional lab, therefore the

research lab in Rankin Inlet would only

operate on a seasonal basis.

The lab in Rankin Inlet was able to do

the following tests according to

Standard Methods protocols: pH, tem-

perature, conductivity, Total Dissolved

Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solids

(TSS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), ammo-

nia, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, total

phosphorus, Chemical Oxygen De -

mand (COD), BOD, E. coli, and total col-

iforms. These tests typically do not

require a fumehood; tests that do

require a fumehood, such as measuring

TKN or the digestion of samples for

metal analyses, were not attempted.

Such samples were preserved and sent

south.

The Rankin Inlet laboratory facility

successfully tested over 10,000 water

samples during 2008, and many les-

sons were learned over the course of

mobilizing, setting up, operating and

shutting down the laboratory.

Regulatory agencies that require moni-

toring need to take northern logistical

issues into account and either subsi-

dize northern analytical lab capacity or

permit the monitoring of alternative

parameters that can be measured in

situ or in a regional lab. �

Water sampling for sewage wetland in Kivalliq Region.

By Brent Wootton and Stephanie CollinsCentre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment, Fleming College


YELLOWKNIFE

“Hello, Home Fuels.”“I’m out of fuel. I thought I was on computer delivery.”“Just a minute while I check. Here it is. We delivered yesterday.”“Oh ... oh no!”We are completely dependent on fossil fuels to sustain our

northern way of life. Fuel oil systems heat the largest majority ofhomes in the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) over any other sourceof fuel. When working properly, fuel oil systems rarely get a sec-ond thought in our day-to-day lives. Much like toilets, these sys-tems are designed to be largely automatic and anonymous –that is, until the system fails.

Since 1998, reported fuel spills associated with residentialheating oil have tripled. Fuel tank spills are increasing on twofronts. Many fuel tanks are reaching the end of their service life

and failing due to long-term corrosion and wear. We see many of

these tanks that are over their 20-year service life. The fire mar-

shal insists you change your fuel tank every 20 years for a reason.

The second front is the tanks that are less than five years and fail-

ing, due to increased microbiological activity and lack of corro-

sion protection inside the tank.

To a homeowner, a fuel spill is a devastating event in their lives

affecting them for weeks, months, even years. The spill that first

and foremost endangers human health and safety also contam-

inates our ecosystems and our aquatic reservoirs. The cost asso-

ciated with a fuel spill often reaches into the hundreds of thou-

sands of dollars. Without proper insurance, families could lose

everything.

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YELLOWKNIFE

When sulphur was removed from home heating fuel severalyears ago, and several of the additives were changed, the toxicityof the fuel was reduced. This allowed autotrophic micro-organ-isms to live in the water that accumulates in the fuel tank. The

jury is out as to whether it is bacteria or funguses that are themajor culprits, so we’ll just call them bugs, for now. These bugsuse the tank materials as part of their metabolic processes andeat their way to daylight, usually emerging in the spring. A tank

Corrosion in residential fuel tank.

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Incidence of residential fuel spills in Yellowknife over the past decade.


YELLOWKNIFE

Demolition of trailer to gain access to fuel spill. Remediation activity for residential fuel spill.

with a bug hole in the bottom looks just like someone used a 1/8-

inch drill.

Spring seems to be the worst time for spills. The water that

froze at the bottom of the tank thaws and the weak area created

by corrosion and bugs, lets go. Add that to the normal movement

of the ground as it freezes and thaws, pulling on hard piping and

you have a recipe for a spill.

Spill response consists of the following steps: Stop the spill;

Contain the spill; Report the spill; Remediate the site; and Obtain

closure from the regulatory authority.

Every fuel spill is different from the next; each spill has its own

challenges and problems that make it unique. A spill will require

some demolition of a trailer in order to remediate the spill area,

which will likely extend underneath the trailer.

Although a spill may not ultimately be preventable, there are

a number of actions that may be undertaken to minimize the

risk:

• Check home insurance to see what and how much coverage is

available in the event of a spill.

• Maintain a fuel tank on a level, stable and well-drained base.

• Maintain easy accessibility to a fuel tank to reduce the likeli-

hood of spills during regular refills.

• Drain water and sludge from a fuel tank on an annual basis.

• Keep a fuel tank free of snow and ice, and make sure that melt-

ing snow and ice does not fall on a fuel tank.

• Complete regular inspections of the fuel tanks and the pipingfrom the tank.

• Check for leaks underneath the fuel tank in the spring.• Confirm that a flexible connection is used at the tank.• Confirm that piping is continuous without hidden joints or

connections, and the fuel filter should be next to the fuelappliance.The fire marshal requires that above-ground tanks be

replaced every 20 years. How old is yours? Practically speaking, any single-wall steel tank of any age

should be replaced with a tank that is made of, or coated with,non-corrosive materials. Some of the spills have occurred intanks that are less than three years old. Corrosion-proof tanks areavailable, and these often come with additional insurance – theextra cost is also cheap insurance. �

Corrosion hole in residential fuel tank.


KASHECHEWAN

Background

Kashechewan is a Cree First Nation

community of about 1,900 people, 10

kilometres upstream from James Bay

on the Albany River in northern

Ontario. The community is located at

17 degrees 52 minutes north latitude

and 38 degrees 81 minutes west longi-

tude.

The closest urban centre to the iso-

lated town is Timmins, Ont., 400 kilo-

metres to the south. The community

lies on the flood plain of the Albany

and many of its buildings are suscepti-

ble to flooding in the springtime.

The Hudson's Bay Lowlands climate

consists of long cold winters and short

warm summers. Permanent ice may

appear between late Novembers and

will provide cover until the end of April

or early May. The terrain and vegeta-

tion are sub-arctic with a predomi-

nance of open cover of stunted black

spruce and tamarack in the swamps

and peat land. The banks of the Albany

River, river in-lands and tributary

streams, however, are forested with

heavy cover of white spruce.

A new water treatment plant was

built for the community in 1995 to

replace an existing plant that was at

the end of its design life. In October

2005, high E. coli levels were found in

the community’s drinking water, and a

major evacuation of the community

occurred with about 800 community

residents airlifted to northern Ontario

communities.

Water Supply and Treatment

The Kashechewan water treatment

plant uses a surface source from Red

Willow Creek. The creek feeds into the

Albany River, which ultimately flows into

James Bay. The water treatment plant is

located at the mouth of Red Willow

Creek. It is a conventional treatment

plant with chemically assisted filtration

and disinfection processes and is capa-

ble of producing approximately 1,400

cubic metres of treated water per day.

The raw water intake for the plant is

a 200-millimetre-diameter pipe that

extends approximately 90-metres into

the creek. The intake crib is located in

the vicinity of where the creek feeds

into the Albany River at a depth of 4.5

metres.

Water from the Red Willow Creek

flows through the intake and into a raw

water intake well located on shore. From

there, the raw water passes through a

coarse screen to remove large debris, or

fish entering into the plant's low-lift well.

The water treatment plant intake in Red

Willow Creek was positioned so that

potential contamination from overflow

of raw sewage from the sewage collec-

tion system into the Albany River would

be minimized. Tides from James Bay

influence the flow of the Albany River

and, in fact, may cause some reverse

flow in the river under certain circum-

stances.

From the low-lift well, the water is

pumped via two low-lift pumps to the

clarification treatment process in the

plant. Coagulant chemical is added in

WATER AND SEWERCHALLENGES INKASHECHEWAN, ONTARIO

Community of Kashechewan and adjacentinfrastructure.

the low-lift well pump discharge pipe to

aid in the settling of particulate matter in

the raw water. Clarification water is

pumped from the low-lift well to the

plant's single clarifier. A temporary poly-

mer feed system is set up on the clarifier.

Within the clarifier, the larger heavier

particulate matter is allowed to settle to

the bottom. The clarified effluent then

flows into the plant's filtration system.

Sludge at the bottom of the clarifier is

discharged to the sanitary sewer.

The filtration system at the plant

consists of two (2) sand and anthracite

media gravity filters. Water from the

clarifier enters into a splitter box and

proportionate water enters into each

filter by gravity. The filtered water is

chlorinated and flows into the plant's

clearwell. The clearwell is comprised of

two (2) separate cells, each with a vol-

ume of approximately 280 cubic

metres. Treated water from the clear-

well is pumped into the distribution

system via five (5) high-lift pumps.

There is also one (1) fire pump for

emergency services.

Sewage Collection and DisposalThe Kashechewan First Nation

sewage collection system includes

gravity sewers, three sewage lift sta-

tions and forcemains. The main lift sta-

tion pumps the sewage across Red

Willow Creek to the sewage treatment

facility. The main lift station has an

overflow to direct raw sewage to the

Albany River via the overflow sewer,

should the lift station fail.

The sewage treatment facility is

located immediately northeast of the

community, on the northeast side of

Red Willow Creek. The community is

located on the opposite shore. The

facility consists of two individual

lagoons. Lagoon 1 was constructed in

about 1988, with an estimated working

capacity of 83,000 m3. The working

capacity of cell 2, constructed in about

2000, is approximately 104,000 m3. The

lagoon cells were designed to dis-

charge on a seasonal seven-day dis-

charge basis, including one discharge

period in the spring and one in the fall

of each year. Treated effluent from the

discharge chamber enters a ditch that

leads to East Creek. East Creek flows in

a northeasterly direction for a distance

of approximately eight kilometres from


KASHECHEWAN

Schematic of Kashechewan water treatment processes.

Schematic of Kashechewan sewage treatment system.

the sewage lagoons towards James

Bay.

Concerns With Water and Sewer Infrastructure

A comprehensive assessment was

completed after the 2005 incident as a

means to document the circumstances

that lead up to the contamination

event, and provide a framework for

action to reduce the chances of a simi-

lar incident occurring in the future.

The following observations were

made regarding the water system at

the time of the incident:

• The water treatment system had

inoperative valves, pumps and feed

lines, including check valves on the

supply piping from the low-lift

pumps; inoperative chemical meter-

ing pumps; and completely obstruct-

ed chemical feed lines.

• There were no up-to-date record

drawings available on-site for either

the water treatment plant or water

distribution system, and there was no

apparent documented procedure for

the disinfection of drinking water at

the water treatment plant.

• An insecure bypass had been

installed so that raw water could be

directed around the clarifier to the fil-

ters, and there were a number of

potential cross-connections between

treated and untreated process waste-

water.

• There was limited process instrumen-

tation for monitoring the operation

of the water treatment plant.

The following observations were

made regarding the sewage system at

the time of the incident:

• The overflow sewer was located adja-

cent to the shoreline of the Albany

River, upstream of the surface drink-

ing water supply intake within the

Red Willow Creek; tidal influences

experienced in the area could poten-

tially transport contamination along

the shoreline of the Albany River and

near the drinking water intake.

• There was no dedicated standby

power supply for the sewage collec-

tion system; this circumstance

increases the potential for raw

sewage to overflow to the Albany

River during an extended power sup-

ply outage.

• Two of the three sewage lift stations

were non-operational. Under these

conditions, if the remaining sewage


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KASHECHEWAN

lift station failed, there was the potential of an overflow of sewage

to the Albany River.

• The overflow sewer and associated backflow prevention device

were broken; this could permit water to enter the sewage collec-

tion system, resulting in flooding of the community during high

water levels in the Albany River.

Conclusions

The lessons learned from Kashechewan are not unique; in fact,

the elements of the Kashechewan experience have been evident in

many of the communities across the North at some point in time

over the past 20 years. What is unique about Kashechewan is that a

series of circumstances lead to an outcome and an action that

received national attention. The Kashechewan story is far from over

as the federal government considers what long-term action is

needed to reduce the risk of an incident like this in the future, not

only in Kashechewan, but other remote northern communities. �

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CCME

Wastewater treatment in the North is unique. From honey

buckets and pits, to engineered lagoons and mechanical

plants, municipal wastewater treatment systems in northern

communities possess a variety of challenges.

These challenges are acknow l edg ed in the Canada- wide

Strategy for the Management of Municipal Waste water Effluent

(the “Strategy”- www.ccme.ca/assets/pdf/cda_wide_strate-

gy_mwwe_final_e.pdf ), which was signed by the Canadian

Council of Ministers for the Environment (CCME) in February

2009. The strategy includes a five-year window of time for the

Far North to develop performance standards which are appro-

priate for northern conditions, taking into consideration cli-

mate, logistics, costs and capacity issues. The Far North is

defined in the CCME strategy as all of the Northwest Territories

and Nunavut, the Nunavik region of Quebec, and the

Nunatsiavut region of Newfoundland and Labrador. A

Municipal Wastewater Effluent Co-ordinating Committee

(MWWE CC) will monitor implementation of the strategy.

The Northern Research Working Group

The Northern Research Working Group (NRWG) was formed

February 2007 to plan and implement the work necessary to

Arctic Bay sewage lagoon and wetland system.

By Catherine Mallet and Anne WilsonNorthern Research Working Group Co-Chairs

CCME STRATEGY AND THE NORTH


CCME

develop recommendations for appro-

priate northern National Performance

Standards (NPS) and other related

components. The NRWG is an ad hoc

group co-chaired by Environment

Canada and Indian and Northern

Affairs Canada (INAC), and currently

has a total of 52 members (17 regular

members and 35 observer members).

Regular members are from various

government and regulatory agencies

in the Far North; water boards, commu-

nity personnel, and other interested

parties also take part in this working

group as either regular or observer

members.

The current mandate of the NRWG is

to gain an understanding of municipal

wastewater effluent and site condi-

tions in the North in order to evaluate

the environmental risks associated

with MWWE discharges. The objectives

of the NRWG include:

• Research to identify the factors that

influence lagoon and wetland per-

formance (including the viability of

using other types of systems).

• Identifying whether or not NPS are

appropriate for remote or northern

conditions (within five years).

• Establishing a process for determining

site-specific effluent discharge objec-

tives and requirements for pollutants

other than CBOD, TSS and TRC, as

appropriate.

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• Determining an appropriate app -

roach and methodology to conduct

risk assessments.

• Recommending monitoring require-

ments for remote or northern waste-

water systems.

Since 2007, the NWRG has conducted

research programs, produced several

reports, and compiled a review of all the

wastewater systems in the Far North.

Sampling programs to collect waste-

water samples and information on

wastewater treatment systems in com-

munities were completed in

2007 and 2008; wastewater samples

from 39 communities in the N.W.T.

and NU have been tested. A report

on the sampling programs and

other information is available at

www.mvlwb.ca/NRWG/default.aspx

(password: nrwg). The sampling pro-

gram and data compilation will contin-

ue in 2009. The NRWG will also work on

educating communities on the impor-

tance of wastewater sampling and the

reporting.

Role of Environment CanadaEnvironment Canada (EC) is responsi-

ble for taking the strategy forward via

legislation. Environment Canada’s prin-

cipal instrument to implement the

CCME Strategy is the regulations under

the Fisheries Act. The regulations will

reflect the CCME Strategy for waste-

water systems, including standards for

secondary treatment or equivalent,

risk-based implementation timelines,

and monitoring and reporting require-

ments.

At this time, the proposed EC regula-

tions will not apply performance stan-

dards to the Far North. Wastewater sys-

tems in the North will continue “status

quo” with effluent discharges and moni-

toring regimes being governed by the

existing permits. Following research and

the determination of appropriate per-

formance standards for northern condi-

tions, Environment Canada is planning

to amend the regulations under the

Fisheries Act to include the North.

To start the research and planning

process, Environment Canada hosted a

workshop in March 2009. The workshop

was attended by scientific and regula-

tory representatives involved in waste-

water management from across the

North. The workshop discussion identi-

fied the roles of various groups and

agencies, along with the elements relat-

ed to the five-year strategic planning

process. The session also included pre-

sentations from experts on lagoon sys-

tems and wetlands. The broad experi-

ence of the participants was invaluable

in bringing out information gaps, logis-

tical challenges, the research needed,

and what does and doesn’t work in the

North ([email protected]. for work-

shop report or www.ec.gc.ca/eu-ww for

more general information).

What Next?

Over the next five years, research and

risk assessment work will be done to

identify appropriate northern perform-

ance standards. Municipal planners and

facility owners are encouraged to plan

ahead when upgrading or improving

their wastewater systems. Upcoming

regulations and performance standards

are expected to be lower than currently

regulated levels. Municipal operators

are also encouraged to continue sam-

pling wastewater effluent and receiving

water bodies as required under their

current permits. Sampling is necessary

to help decision-makers understand

the performance of wastewater treat-

ment facilities in the North and meas-

ure the environmental effects of waste-

water discharges. Working together will

help operators and regulators achieve a

greater understanding of the current

wastewater treatment situation in the

North and help determine how it can

be improved to protect our northern

environment. �


CCME

Sewage lagoon sampling for Northern ResearchWorking Group – rather “buggy” conditions.


CARCROSS

Whatever stops the garbage from burn-

ing, just do it – and do it quickly, Carcross

residents told officials during a public

meeting in April 2009. Government rep-

resentatives and environmental scien-

tists visited the community as part of a

community tour to overhaul the territo-

ry’s solid-waste strategy.

Garbage burning has persisted

because it’s cheap. On average, a

garbage-burning facility costs $28,500

to maintain per year. A supervised trans-

fer facility can cost up to $100,000.

Sixteen Yukon communities currently

put the torch to their waste. Most

employ big, hulking burning vessels;

however, some communities still burn in

an open pit. Converting burn dumps to

non-burn dumps could cost as much as

$9 million, with $2 million more per year

in operational costs, Carcross residents

were told at the pubic meeting.

There are presently 19 unincorporated

communities for which Yukon Gov -

ernment (YG) operates solid waste facili-

ties. The current solid waste manage-

ment practices in the Yukon, dependant

on the geographical area and needs of

the surrounding communities, typically

fall into one of the following categories:

• Burial of waste in a trench.

• Open trench burning and burial.

• Burn vessels and burial of the ash.

• Unmanned transfer station disposal.

• Manned transfer station disposal.

Carcross still uses open trench burn-

ing for solid waste management. The use

of burning vessels, however, has been

increasing in communities across the

Yukon.

Burning VesselsIn most instances, burning vessels

were relatively new additions at the

respective waste facilities. The burning

vessels are constructed of large used

steel fabricated underground or above-

ground storage tanks that have been

modified with doors and vents to accept

varying capacities of waste.

SOLID WASTEMANAGEMENT INCARCROSS, YUKON

Burning vessel with loading doors open; note screened vents on top of vessel.


CARCROSS

The configuration of these burning

vessels vary only slightly from one

another, but their size differs in propor-

tion to the volume of waste expected at

the respective facility. The wastes

accepted and segregated at each site are

generally the same. The burning vessels

are very effective in containing the

wastes accepted and minimizing the lit-

ter that escapes, not to mention the

reduction in scavenging from animals

and birds in comparison to open trench

burning. The difficulty, however, is that

there are large quantities of non-burn-

able items (metals, mostly) that find their

way into the vessel and, later must be

separated from the ashes. The possibility

of a propane tank, paints, or car batteries

entering the vessel is also a risk (due to

the unmanned nature of the sites), and

this poses a risk to the environment, as

well as the health and safety of those

using the facility.

Open Trench BurningCarcross has maintained the use of

open trench burning as a potential

means to avoid the commissioning of a

burning vessel, which could delay the

establishment of a transfer station for

trucking waste 75 kilometres back to the

Whitehorse landfill.

The Carcross site is divided into oper-

ating areas – one area for domestic

waste (to be burned in the trench) and

the other area for construction wastes,

appliances, waste metals, and hazardous

waste. The domestic waste portion of

the facility is untidy due to the abun-

dance of litter scattered by wind and

birds, but overall the site is well main-

tained, with the majority of wastes seg-

regated in tidy piles, despite a lack of

clear signage.

Overall, there is no apparent opera-

tional difference between a burning

trench facility, and burning vessel facili-

ty, other than litter control. Burning ves-

sels do burn much more quickly and in a

more controlled manner than in a

trench. Open trench burning has greater

potential to smoulder for longer periods

of time, due to uneven temperatures

and incomplete combustion of wastes.

Transfer Stations

When it comes to transfer stations, the

major factor contributing to site per-

formance is the level of staffing. Sites


CARCROSS

that are kept tidy, have access to staff

during operating hours, and access to

the site, are limited to those hours only.

Unmanned facilities could greatly

benefit from improved waste-manage-

ment practices. In principle, these sites

should operate the same as the Yukon's

other transfer stations, but the absence

of staff and the unlimited access to the

facility has been detrimental to the oper-

ation. This combination provides no

supervision, and the public has taken

advantage of the consequence-free

environment on a regular basis.

General ObservationsThe waste deposit practices are vari-

able in the Yukon. Due to the remote-

ness of some residents, and the lack of

some services in the territory, it is com-

mon that users store their wastes at

their residences for an extended period

of time, and then unload a large quan-

tity of waste at once, temporarily over-

loading a site's capacity. This is particu-

larly apparent when it comes to auto

hulks, appliances, construction and

demolition waste, and tires.

Throughout the Yukon, the level of

community volunteerism varies quite

significantly. It seems that some com-

munities are attuned to environmental

and solid waste issues in the Yukon,

and the others are more inclined to

"keep things the way they've always

been." This presents challenges when

adopting a common framework for

standardizing waste management

approaches. More specifically, recy-

cling tends to be less developed at

unincorporated communities, since

there is a lack of recycling facilities

available nearby.

Contractors hired to manage each

facility are directly responsible for each

site's relative functionality and tidiness.

Each contractor is hired as a result of a

tendering process, and there is often a

learning curve associated with the con-

tractors executing the waste manage-

ment contracts if the contractor is new.

At times, this can result in onerous

micro-level management for the YG,

where contractor performance has to

be closely monitored, and often con-

tracts either have to be renegotiated,

cancelled, or reissued.

Back in Carcross, the latest public

meeting was “probably round six” in a

long line of engineers and consultants

sweeping through the town with

promises of clean waste disposal, said

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CARCROSS

Burning vessel showing ash discharge system and trench for disposing of ash.

another resident. “Just tell us a solution is

coming quickly; you’ll be more popular,” he

said to government representatives. “Let’s

fast track this thing, rather than just study-

ing the crap out of it again.”

ReferencesEBA Engineering Consultants Ltd., Comprehensive Solid Waste Study for Yukon Territory

Unincorporated Waste Facilities, Volume 1. April 2009

Yukon News, The Long Road to No-Burn. April 24, 2009 �


REPORT

First off, I’d like to thank everyone who

was able to make it to the 2008 annual

conference, which took place in Norman

Wells last November. Not only is Norman

Wells a northern hub of exploration for

the Sahtu region, it also happens to be

my hometown. So the conference was

very important to me for obvious rea-

sons. The annual conference and

tradeshow is the NTWWA members’ only

chance to network and share informa-

tion with each other.

We had a tour of the town water plant,

as well as the lagoon and other sewage

infrastructure. I think something very

unique to Norman Wells is the construc-

tion of a sea wall around the sewage lift

station on the bank of the Mackenzie

River. When the conference took place,

the sea wall was still under construction.

This project came about as a preventa-

tive measure to protect the sewage

infrastructure from the mighty wrath of

the annual break up of ice on the

Mackenzie River, and not a moment too

soon. In my opinion, this year’s break

might very well have destroyed these

buildings, if not for the wall.

As the conference is the NTWWA’s

main activity for each year, it is usually a

very busy time for all the participants,

but until the 2008 conference I had no

concept of how much work the confer-

ence organization really takes. I would

like to thank everyone who volunteered

their time to help make the 2008 confer-

ence come together so well.

We were lucky enough to have Ken

Mattes, president of Western Canada

Water Association (WCW), travel to

Norman Wells to be our keynote speaker.

His attendance at our conference helped

further the NTWWA’s ongoing growth, as

well as our participation as a constituent

organization of the WCW. As a result of

meeting Ken in person, I was invited to

sit in on the WCW board meetings in

January (Calgary) and May (Winnipeg).

This involvement with a more estab-

lished organization increases our profile

as an organization on the forefront of

the water issues unique to the North.

Kinda like a big brother. Thank you, Ken

for coming to the Great White North to

share your experiences with us.

As always, we had representation from

all corners of our country, though most-

ly from the North. I am always so

impressed with the level of participation

we enjoy from everyone who makes the

effort to travel to the conference

because, as we all know, it is not an easy

task to travel across the northern reach-

es of Canada in the cold months.

For those who were unable to attend

the conference, I hope they will be able

to make it to the 2009 conference in

Cambridge Bay. Two years ago our con-

ference took place in Iqaluit, so the con-

ference this year falls again to Nunavut

to host.

I hope you will enjoy our annual

Journal, and that it has shared some

information you have found valuable. It

is our other method of sharing knowl-

edge with our members and with the

general public. Ken Johnson, once again,

deserves our thanks for putting together

all of this information and making sure

its gets to all of you. Thanks to all of you

for making the NTWWA what it is, and I

look forward to seeing you in Cambridge

Bay. �

President’s ReportSean Austman-Kunkel

Reg Wynes

Phone: (867) 979-6476 Cell: 1 (867) 975-1307 P.O. Box 2173

Fax: (867) 979-0748 Email: [email protected] Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0

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Portable Fire Protection, Sales & Service

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REPORT

The NTWWA is excited to be releasing its

fifth annual Journal publication featur-

ing articles relating to the diamond

industry and water management. The

release of the Journal is one of the main

goals and objectives of the association

and we hope that you find it informative

and enjoy the read.

The 2009 NTWWA Annual Conference,

Trade Show, and Operator’s Workshop

will be hosted in Cambridge Bay,

Nunavut from October 17 to 19.

Northern waters are some of the most

pristine in the world and in order to keep

it this way it is important that water

management take place. Mark your cal-

endars and join us at the annual event to

share ideas and learn about what is

going on with relation to water manage-

ment in the North.

Last year the Annual Conference,

Trade Show and Operators Workshop,

held in Norman Wells, N.W.T., was a suc-

cess with 60 delegates, including 10

trade show booths and 20 presenters.

For the first time, we had an operators’

panel, where issues that are faced by

northern operators were discussed, as

well as a trade show delegate session.

Both these additions to the conference

agenda were well received and we look

forward to incorporating them into this

year’s conference. A big thanks to the

Town of Norman Wells, specifically

Cheryl Vietch and Sean Austman-Kunkel,

for all their hard work co-ordinating the

logistics of the 2008 NTWWA annual

event. The delegates, presenters and

trade show participants are what make

the annual event such a success, so

thank you for your participation.

The winner of the 2008 Drinking

Water Competition was the Town of Fort

Smith and they will be looking to hold

on to that title at the upcoming confer-

ence, so all of you operators out there –

don’t forget your water.

The board tries to maintain diverse

representation and currently consists of

water treatment plant operators, con-

sultants with expertise in the areas of

water and waste, a water and waste-

water industry representative, and gov-

ernment employees. If you are interest-

ed in becoming a board member, the

opportunity is during the AGM that is

held following the conference each year.

Thank you to the NTWWA Board of

Directors for keeping me on as the

executive director. It has been great

experience and it is a pleasure to work

with all of you. Every year we say good-

bye to dedicated board members and

welcome newcomers to the board, and

this year is no exception. On behalf of

the board, I thank all of the board

members who are leaving us, for their

dedication to bringing a northern per-

spective to the field of water and

waste. To all of the new board mem-

bers, thanks for volunteering your time

and efforts to the board. Special thanks

are due for the efforts of president

Sean Austman-Kunkel, past president

Heather Scott, the Journal’s editor, Ken

Johnson, and our administrator Pearl

Benyk.

Enjoy the Journal and I will see you in

Cambridge Bay. �

Executive Director’s ReportOlivia Lee

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INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

A.H. McElroy Sales & Service 9

AECOM 11

AMEC Earth & Environmental 22

Anthrafilter Media Ltd. 5

AWI (Antratech Western Inc.) 9, 36

Biodisk Corporation 15

Canadian Dewatering 16

Canbar Inc. 27

Capital H20 Systems, Inc. 43

Chimo Water & Wastewater OBC

Cleartech Industries Inc. IBC

Control Microsystems / Simark Controls 41

Danmax Communication Ltd. 35

Dayton & Knight Ltd. 23

DelcoWater 25

Denso North America 17

Dillon Consulting 21

Emco Waterworks / Sandale Utility Products 38

FloTech Pump 19

FSC Architects & Engineers 7

Hoskin Scientific Ltd. 30

Hy-Pro Plastics Inc. 10

Jelcon Equipment Ltd. 45

Kudlik Construction Ltd. 12

Lifewater Engineering Company 42

MSS Ltd. 5, 31

Mueller Canada 27

NAPEGG 13

Primary Fluid Systems Inc. IFC

Ramtech Environmental Products 14

Robins Flotech Ltd. 6

Sanitherm Inc. 26

South Baffin Holdings Ltd. 44

SRK Consulting Engineers and Scientists 14

Stantec 42

Terminal City Iron Works Ltd. 8

Univar Canada Ltd. 24

Urecon Pre-Insulated Pipe 9

Williams Engineering Canada Inc. 15

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2009 journal of the northern territories water and waste association

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