City, LU researchers close to water-treatment breakthrough

THUNDER BAY -- Carl Goodwin thinks researchers with the City of Thunder Bay and Lakehead University may be close to a water-treatment plant breakthrough.

The researchers are in the process of perfecting a cleaning mechanism using chemicals and electricity that could help municipalities extend the life of treatment-plant membranes by 40 per cent, saving millions of dollars over time.

Goodwin, process engineer in the city’s environment division, on Monday said the technology could have wide-reaching implications.

“It’s an innovative project that looks at two catalysts, which are two chemicals that can make reactions happen very quickly,” Goodwin said.

“The two catalysts are designed to remove toxicity and waste products from the water. We have trialed this at our pilot plant to improve the efficiency of the cleaning of the membranes.”

Typically water-treatment membranes like the ones used at the city’s Bare Point facility will last seven to 10 years.

“We’re expecting this technology will add another 40 per cent to their life, which amounts to savings in the millions of dollars,” Goodwin said.

Perfected in the laboratory at a small-scale, researchers used $70,000 in grant money provided by the province to increase its size to allow them to clean entire membrane cells. The next step is to take it to industrial size, working out any bugs that might result in the increased capacity of the project.

“We’ve trialed it at the pilot plant and we are getting very similar results to what were achieved in the lab, so we’re very excited. It really feels like a technology we can build and sell and be beneficial throughout Canada,” Goodwin said.

The project is one of two locally receiving Showcasing Water Innovation grants through the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
The Atlantic Avenue Water Pollution Control Plant received $600,000 to install energy-efficient turbo blowers at the city’s Atlantic Avenue Pollution Control Plant through a partnership with the Ontario Clean Water Agency and APG-Neuros.

“The provision of wastewater and water services in Thunder Bay requires a great deal of energy said Michelle Warywoda, director of the city’s environment division.

“Through the SWI funds we were able to take advantage of innovative technology and equipment, which allowed us to reduce costs and increase the effectiveness of our water and wastewater systems.”

It’s expected to reduce the energy costs for the aeration system by 25 per cent.