Enhancing Sustainability of Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater treatment represents a major part of a municipality’s footprint.  Various projects that address increased sustainability of wastewater treatment are ongoing.  Specific studies include:

• Characterization and mitigation of fouling of tertiary ultrafiltration membranes under challenging conditions (York Region, Suez)
• Full scale optimization of Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactors (Region of Waterloo, Suez, Stantec, InCtrl, Ontario Clean Water Agency)
• Low energy SNDPR under cold weather conditions (NSERC)

Micropollutants in Wastewater Systems

The presence of micropollutants in wastewater systems continues to be an ongoing concern to the wastewater and water quality sectors.  Ongoing projects include:

• Integrated modeling of micropollutant generation, treatment and transport in rivers (Global Water Futures)
• Fate of micropollutants in Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactors (Region of Waterloo, Suez, Stantec, InCtrl, Ontario Clean Water Agency)
• Impact of compound chirality on fate and transport in wastewater systems (Department of Fisheries and Oceans)
• Application of magnetic nano-particles for micropollutant removal and analysis (NSERC)
• Fate of PFAS in sludge handling systems (Region of Waterloo, Terrapure, Walker Environmental, Lystek, Associated Engineering, Halton Region, City of Ottawa, OCWA)
• Measurement and fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment (NSERC)

Enhancing Solid Waste Management

Solid wastes are a challenge for municipalities but also represent significant opportunities for improving sustainability.  Projects addressing solid waste management include:

• Impact of food waste grinders on food waste diversion in multi-residential buildings (York Region)
• Fate of PFAS in sludge handling systems (Region of Waterloo, Terrapure, Walker Environmental, Lystek, Associated Engineering, Halton Region, City of Ottawa, OCWA)