Protecting the Beaver River from damaging nutrients

Cold Lake Regional Utilities Services Commission Wastewater Treatment Plant Feasibility Study

The City of Cold Lake studied the feasibility of different wastewater treatment systems to improve effluent quality. Its existing system - four treatment lagoons - was nearing capacity and was harming the environment through its discharges into the Beaver River.

A purely mechanical treatment system would be very expensive, so the city wanted to include a vegetative process to remove nutrients. The study team's recommendation was to combine moving-bed biofilm reactors with the lagoon process. Moving-bed biofilm reactors are relatively new to North America; they use a honeycomb-like medium to increase surface area for the microorganisms that remove nutrients.

The city, through the regional utilities commission, hoped to undertake a small-scale pilot project to test the treatment system, especially in winter conditions.

Results

Challenges

• There was a lack of data on water quality in the Beaver River, which was needed to determine the level of treatment necessary.
• It was difficult to get confirmation of new effluent limits from regulating authorities.
• Cold Lake's northern climate raises questions about whether moving-bed biofilm reactors will work year-round.

Lessons learned

• Do a thorough search of the technologies out there so that you have confidence in your choice of system.
• Allow at least 12 to 14 months for a study like this, as the receiving water may need to be sampled at different times of year.
• Tertiary treatment or nutrient removal from municipal wastewater will seem expensive, but it is necessary for the health of the receiving water bodies.

Resources

• Cold Lake - Beaver River water management plan

Partners and Collaborators

• City of Cold Lake
• AECOM
• FCM's Green Municipal Fund

Project Contact

Kevin Nagoya
Chief Administrative Officer
City of Cold Lake, AB
T. 780-594-4494, ext. 7930