The City of Winnipeg is considering whether to build a water treatment plant to treat water from Shoal Lake before it reaches customers. There are risks to public health from parasites and disinfection byproducts with the current system. Experts recommend a water treatment plant to protect public health by reducing these risks. The plant would cost $204 million to build and $12 million annually to operate, and water rates would need to increase by less than 5% to pay for it. A decision will be made in October 1999 after public input is received.
Safe Drinking Water Act How Safe is My Drinking WaterMichael Klein
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the main federal law that ensures the quality of Americans' drinking water. Under SDWA, EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards. This presentation provides an overview of the SDWA.
Two of the charter members of The Long Island Clean Water Partnership, The Citizen's Campaign For The Environment, and The Group For The East End, offer this overview of the state of Long Island's waters -- what is polluting them and what we can do about it. The CCE's Adrienne Esposito and the GFTEE by Bob DeLuca.
Long Island gets its drinking water from the ground. Whatever we do on the surface eventually makes it into the aquifer, and into our drinking water, our rivers and bays.
The largest issue is nitrates from septic tanks, from the 200+ small sewage treatment plants, and from fertilizer, both residential and commercial leaching into the ground water, and then to our bays, where they trigger massive algal blooms -- brown tide, red tide, rust tide, blue green algae. These blooms have already destroyed much of our bay's habitats, resulting in a collapse of the shellfish and finfish population. To reverse this situation, we must impose much stricter limits on how much nitrogen can enter into our ground water from the plants, farms, and from the 500,000 septic tanks that dot Long Island.
Another major threat to Long Island water is VOCS (volatile organic chemicals). While there are 254 superfund sites on Long Island, the largest source of these VOCs are household products -- cleaners, paint strippers, aerosols. 100,000 tons of household hazardous waste is disposed of improperly every year in New York.
A further threat is the 117 pesticides now found in our drinking water. Even when banned, they remain in our environment for decades.
Finally, the improper disposal of household pharmaceuticals means that these drugs are entering into our ecosystem, with effects unknown. We must stop flushing or throwing out unused prescriptions, but dispose of them only at designated county locations.
In all, there are a number of things we can do now to help LI become sustainable for future generations: Push for new technologies and new policies that would limit nitrogenous waste from our septic and sewer systems. Stop using high nitrogen lawn and agricultural fertilizers. Dispose of your household waste properly. Any chemical you use at home will end up in the ground water unless disposed of properly. Don't pour oils, grease, and chemicals down the drain. Use green, friendly home cleaning products.
Finally, since the major contributor to Long Island's water problems has been overdevelopment (without the requisite infrastructure to support it), we need to protect what green spaces we have left.
Over 1,000 fracking wells have been drilled in Ohio in the past three years. W have seen numerous accidents associated with fracking in Ohio including a chemical fire and release, earthquakes, fires, and explosions. Still, there has been no assessment of the current or expected health impacts from fracking in our state, and little to no training for medical professionals and emergency responders.
The meeting with Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project was a forum to begin a dialogue about the health impacts associated with fracking.
Safe Drinking Water Act How Safe is My Drinking WaterMichael Klein
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the main federal law that ensures the quality of Americans' drinking water. Under SDWA, EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards. This presentation provides an overview of the SDWA.
Two of the charter members of The Long Island Clean Water Partnership, The Citizen's Campaign For The Environment, and The Group For The East End, offer this overview of the state of Long Island's waters -- what is polluting them and what we can do about it. The CCE's Adrienne Esposito and the GFTEE by Bob DeLuca.
Long Island gets its drinking water from the ground. Whatever we do on the surface eventually makes it into the aquifer, and into our drinking water, our rivers and bays.
The largest issue is nitrates from septic tanks, from the 200+ small sewage treatment plants, and from fertilizer, both residential and commercial leaching into the ground water, and then to our bays, where they trigger massive algal blooms -- brown tide, red tide, rust tide, blue green algae. These blooms have already destroyed much of our bay's habitats, resulting in a collapse of the shellfish and finfish population. To reverse this situation, we must impose much stricter limits on how much nitrogen can enter into our ground water from the plants, farms, and from the 500,000 septic tanks that dot Long Island.
Another major threat to Long Island water is VOCS (volatile organic chemicals). While there are 254 superfund sites on Long Island, the largest source of these VOCs are household products -- cleaners, paint strippers, aerosols. 100,000 tons of household hazardous waste is disposed of improperly every year in New York.
A further threat is the 117 pesticides now found in our drinking water. Even when banned, they remain in our environment for decades.
Finally, the improper disposal of household pharmaceuticals means that these drugs are entering into our ecosystem, with effects unknown. We must stop flushing or throwing out unused prescriptions, but dispose of them only at designated county locations.
In all, there are a number of things we can do now to help LI become sustainable for future generations: Push for new technologies and new policies that would limit nitrogenous waste from our septic and sewer systems. Stop using high nitrogen lawn and agricultural fertilizers. Dispose of your household waste properly. Any chemical you use at home will end up in the ground water unless disposed of properly. Don't pour oils, grease, and chemicals down the drain. Use green, friendly home cleaning products.
Finally, since the major contributor to Long Island's water problems has been overdevelopment (without the requisite infrastructure to support it), we need to protect what green spaces we have left.
Over 1,000 fracking wells have been drilled in Ohio in the past three years. W have seen numerous accidents associated with fracking in Ohio including a chemical fire and release, earthquakes, fires, and explosions. Still, there has been no assessment of the current or expected health impacts from fracking in our state, and little to no training for medical professionals and emergency responders.
The meeting with Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project was a forum to begin a dialogue about the health impacts associated with fracking.
A Lake Erie Twofer: Tiny Plastic Particles and Toxic Algae Threaten Lake WatersOhio Environmental Council
A panel of experts discuss the impact of toxic algae and microbeads on the health and well-being of Lake Erie.
Presenters:
- Dr. Jeffery Reutter, Director Ohio Sea Grant College Program
- Dr. Sue Watson, Research Scientist, WHERD, Water Science and Technology, Environment Canada
- Andy McClure, Administrator, Collins Park Water Treatment, Toledo, OH
- Dr. Sheri Mason, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at SUNY Fredonia
Prof Graham Mills - The Fate of Pharmaceutical Residues in the Aquatic Enviro...onthewight
Professor Graham Mills presented his talk "The Fate of Pharmaceutical Residues in the Aquatic Environment"
A full background of what contaminates water, from Pharmacology and Agriculture. People passing medicines they have taken or disposing of them by throwing them down the toilet are causing major changes to fish and other water dwelling creatures.
- October 2014 - Cafe Scientifique Isle of Wight
a. Recreation benefits are more important than for air pollution.
b. Large economies of Scale in treating sewerage and other wastes create the possibility for large centralized treatment, while for air pollution on site treatment is standard approach.
On Earth water has too many forms and variety which
are necessary specifically for particular geographical as well as
environmental surroundings. Below 1% of the world's fresh
water (0.007% of all water on earth) is reachable for direct
human uses. Water pollutions now become a part of concern and
disquiet in country like India. Large parts of water which are life
supportive get contaminated because of illegal activities of human
beings. Water effluence is a major problem globally. It is the
leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases, and that it
accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. In
addition to the acute problems of different problems in
developing countries, industrialized countries continue to
struggle with water pollution problems as well. There are many
inorganic metals which are contaminating water bodies which
serve life to large part of India, Arsenic (As) is one of the biggest
threats for water bodies. High toxicity of Arsenic poses a serious
risk not only to ecological systems but also for human health.
There is availability of sophisticated techniques for arsenic
removal from contaminated water, development of new
laboratory based techniques along with cost reduction and
enhancement of conventional techniques are essential for the
benefit of common people. This paper is based on the future
aspects, for removal of Arsenic from drinking water or the water
of different rivers like Ganga, Gomti and Yamuna etc which
humans are consuming for domestic purpose. Demograph
estimate that around 52 millions peoples are drinking ground
water with arsenic concentrations above the guidelines of World
Health Organization. WHO proposed a parameter or MIC for
Arsenic i.e. of 10 parts per billion (ppb) or 0.010 Mg/L, it is found
that level of Arsenic has been increased vigorously in many
rivers. Objective is to apply Bioremediation technique with the
help of batch culture that needs Bioremediators to detoxify
contaminated water and helps in maintaining the original quality
of water.
Credits of the paper are to the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
This paper was included in the event kit of Green Bloggers Forum, held 7 June 2016 at the Cocoon Boutique Hotel, QC, Philippines. The DENR authorized all bloggers and participants to promote the information and materials during the event.
Eugene Braig, Program Director, Aquatic Ecosystems at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences shares in-depth information regarding the harmful algal blooms (HABs) on Grand Lake St. Marys. Learn more at http://www.lakeimprovement.com.
A Lake Erie Twofer: Tiny Plastic Particles and Toxic Algae Threaten Lake WatersOhio Environmental Council
A panel of experts discuss the impact of toxic algae and microbeads on the health and well-being of Lake Erie.
Presenters:
- Dr. Jeffery Reutter, Director Ohio Sea Grant College Program
- Dr. Sue Watson, Research Scientist, WHERD, Water Science and Technology, Environment Canada
- Andy McClure, Administrator, Collins Park Water Treatment, Toledo, OH
- Dr. Sheri Mason, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at SUNY Fredonia
Prof Graham Mills - The Fate of Pharmaceutical Residues in the Aquatic Enviro...onthewight
Professor Graham Mills presented his talk "The Fate of Pharmaceutical Residues in the Aquatic Environment"
A full background of what contaminates water, from Pharmacology and Agriculture. People passing medicines they have taken or disposing of them by throwing them down the toilet are causing major changes to fish and other water dwelling creatures.
- October 2014 - Cafe Scientifique Isle of Wight
a. Recreation benefits are more important than for air pollution.
b. Large economies of Scale in treating sewerage and other wastes create the possibility for large centralized treatment, while for air pollution on site treatment is standard approach.
On Earth water has too many forms and variety which
are necessary specifically for particular geographical as well as
environmental surroundings. Below 1% of the world's fresh
water (0.007% of all water on earth) is reachable for direct
human uses. Water pollutions now become a part of concern and
disquiet in country like India. Large parts of water which are life
supportive get contaminated because of illegal activities of human
beings. Water effluence is a major problem globally. It is the
leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases, and that it
accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. In
addition to the acute problems of different problems in
developing countries, industrialized countries continue to
struggle with water pollution problems as well. There are many
inorganic metals which are contaminating water bodies which
serve life to large part of India, Arsenic (As) is one of the biggest
threats for water bodies. High toxicity of Arsenic poses a serious
risk not only to ecological systems but also for human health.
There is availability of sophisticated techniques for arsenic
removal from contaminated water, development of new
laboratory based techniques along with cost reduction and
enhancement of conventional techniques are essential for the
benefit of common people. This paper is based on the future
aspects, for removal of Arsenic from drinking water or the water
of different rivers like Ganga, Gomti and Yamuna etc which
humans are consuming for domestic purpose. Demograph
estimate that around 52 millions peoples are drinking ground
water with arsenic concentrations above the guidelines of World
Health Organization. WHO proposed a parameter or MIC for
Arsenic i.e. of 10 parts per billion (ppb) or 0.010 Mg/L, it is found
that level of Arsenic has been increased vigorously in many
rivers. Objective is to apply Bioremediation technique with the
help of batch culture that needs Bioremediators to detoxify
contaminated water and helps in maintaining the original quality
of water.
Credits of the paper are to the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
This paper was included in the event kit of Green Bloggers Forum, held 7 June 2016 at the Cocoon Boutique Hotel, QC, Philippines. The DENR authorized all bloggers and participants to promote the information and materials during the event.
Eugene Braig, Program Director, Aquatic Ecosystems at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences shares in-depth information regarding the harmful algal blooms (HABs) on Grand Lake St. Marys. Learn more at http://www.lakeimprovement.com.
Epidemiological data and operational information about outbreaks is.pdfakashapparels
Epidemiological data and operational information about outbreaks is dynamic and changes
rapidly. You must develop a comprehensive Event Management System to manage critical
information about an outbreak (of your choice) within the Excel program that you have just
learned. This is one method to ensure accurate and timely communications between key public
health professionals and the community.
Choose from any one of the fields below.
Features of the data management system you create should include:
Solution
Case Management-
Businesses and agencies in long-term relationships with their customers, citizens or subscribers
will be judged by the accuracy of the records they hold, the consistency of the communications
that take place, and the speed, efficiency and fairness with which each case, claim or contract is
processed.
Delivery of customer service against these priorities has never been more challenging.
Customers are more mobile in their addresses, jobs and family relationships. Communications
channels seem to multiply overnight, with customers switching between them at will. Corporate
messaging demands multi-channel distribution with increasing amounts of personalization.
Mergers and acquisitions create multiple silos of customer-related data to be seamlessly joined.
And products, business rules and government regulations change with alarming frequency.
Against this backdrop, the demands on the IT systems to support smooth, efficient and integrated
delivery are considerable, particularly where case-orientated transactions are involved.
Emergency Response-
Environmental emergencies are incidents or events that threaten public safety, health, and
welfare and include hurricanes, floods, wildfires, industrial plant explosions, chemical spills, acts
of terrorism, and others. While these events range in size, location, cause, and effect, most have
an environmental component. Emergency response is the organizing, coordinating, and directing
of available resources in order to respond to the event and bring the emergency under control.
The goal of this coordinated response is to protect public health by minimizing the impact of the
event on the community and the environment.
An emergency response plan must provide the resources and information needed to evaluate the
human and environmental health impacts of the event, assess and reduce human exposures to
contaminants, and develop science-based strategies for remediation and rebuilding. One example
is the immediate response of NIEHS and other government agencies to the devastation and
hardship caused by Hurricane Katrina. This included the establishment of a field hospital in
Mississippi to meet the immediate health needs of the hurricane victims, as well as the
development of a Geographic Information System to plot the locations of chemical plants,
refineries, Superfund clean-up sites, and other potential hot spots of contamination where
flooding occurred.
Safe Drinking Water-
There are many types o.
water, a substance composed of the chemical elements hydrogen and oxygen and existing in gaseous, liquid, and solid states. It is one of the most plentiful and essential of compounds. A tasteless and odourless liquid at room temperature, it has the important ability to dissolve many other substances.
Comments on adding microbeads to Schedule 1 of CEPA 1999 – September 30, 2015LOWaterkeeper
These are the comments by Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Ottawa Riverkeeper, North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper, and Fraser Riverkeeper on the Order adding microbeads to Schedule 1 of CEPA 1999.
Bottled Water More Than Just a Story About Sales Growth; String.docxhartrobert670
Bottled Water: More Than Just a Story About Sales Growth; Stringent Federal, State and Industry Standards Help Ensure Safety, Quality and Good Taste
[New York] 09 Apr 2007:
ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The InternationalBottled Water Association (IBWA), in conjunction with Beverage MarketingCorporation (BMC), today released bottled water statistics for the year 2006,compiled by BMC. These numbers show that U.S. bottled water sales andconsumption continue to rise, as consumers increasingly choose bottled waterover other beverages.
The latest upward trend was reflected in 2006 when total bottled water volume exceeded 8.25 billion gallons, a 9.5 percent increase over 2005, and the 2006 bottled water per capita consumption level of 27.6 gallons increased by over two gallons, from 25.4 gallons per capita the previous year. Additionally, the wholesale dollar sales for bottled water exceeded $10.8 billion in 2006, an 8.5 percent increase over the $10 billion in 2005. These statistics demonstrate continued consumer demand and appreciation for the convenience and good taste of bottled water brands consumed on-the-go, during exercise, at restaurants or meetings, and at home or the office. However, consumers should also know that bottled water safety and quality result from multiple layers of regulation and standards at the federal, state and industry levels.
Bottled water is comprehensively regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a packaged food product, and has issued stringent standards for safety, quality, production, labeling, and identity. Along with the FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), which are required of all foods, bottled water must comply with several other applicable regulations, including Standards of Identity, Standards of Quality and additional, specific bottled water GMPs. Being a packaged food product, bottled water is also bound by the Nutrition Labeling Education Act (NLEA) and the full range of FDA protective measures designed to enforce product safety and protect consumers. States also regulate bottled water inspections, sampling, analyzing and approving bottled water sources. Testing laboratory certification is another area where states may regulate bottled water. As part of the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice, IBWA members voluntarily utilize the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) for a science-based approach to bottled water production and safety. FDA recognizes HACCP as a key component of food safety and consumer protection.
"While all beverages have their role in a marketplace with an abundance of drink choices," says Stephen R. Kay, IBWA Vice President of Communications, "consumers are choosing bottled water as a refreshing, hydrating beverage and as an alternative to others that may contain calories, caffeine, sugar, artificial colors, alcohol or other ingredients, which they wish to moderate or avoid. For instance, during 2006, individual ...
Introduction to Drinking Water Quality: A Layperson’s Guide to Water Quality,...lhirsh
Poor water quality is a global health crisis. Not everyone who must help remedy this monumental problem is a scientist, or policy maker, or water, sanitation and hygiene expert, or public health professional. However, everyone at every level must have some understanding of the subject and science behind it.
Our booklet provides basic information to help people make intelligent decisions about safe drinking water.
An Assessment on Drinking Water Quality and Management in Kakamega Municipalitypaperpublications3
Abstract: Drinking water must be free from components which may adversely affect the human health. Such components include minerals, organic substances and disease causing microorganisms. A large portion of the population in urban areas in developing countries suffers from health problems associated with either lack of drinking water or due to the presence of microbiological contamination in water. This research was conducted in Kakamega municipality with a broad objective to conduct assessment of water quality and management in Kakamega municipality. The Specific objective was to determine the chemical water quality parameters in water and to evaluate the management practices on water in Kakamega municipality. Four water quality parameters; two physical and two chemical were tested from the samples collected for this research work. Sampling technique was purposive where water samples from water sources and distribution points in densely populated areas of Kakamega municipality were taken. Data collection instruments that were used included sterilized bottles to collect water, delivery to the laboratory within six (6) hours of collection for reliable results and data quality control was achieved through immediate entry in the pre-designed data form. According to the results pH values at all the sources and house connections are well within the WHO desirable limit of 6.50-8.0. The sample from Sichirai had a pH of 7.8 that was the highest as compared to an Isiukhu river that had 6.6 pH. The samples from Isiukhu river, Savona Island River, fishpond at bridge and Shikhambi spring showed more than 5 NTU. The researchers recommended for water surveillance in Kakamega municipality in order to ensure consumers have safe water free from agricultural and industrial chemical pollution.
“You can stroke people with words”
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald
“He started off dishing some nice strokes. With an admiring smile he told me how smart I was, how honest, so absolutely reliable”
~ Mario Puzo, “Fools Die”
“The adult has something to work on: what must I do to gain their STROKES, or approval”
~ Thomas Anthony Harris, “I'm OK, You're OK”.
Water scarcity is the lack of fresh water resources to meet the standard water demand. There are two type of water scarcity. One is physical. The other is economic water scarcity.
Student information management system project report ii.pdfKamal Acharya
Our project explains about the student management. This project mainly explains the various actions related to student details. This project shows some ease in adding, editing and deleting the student details. It also provides a less time consuming process for viewing, adding, editing and deleting the marks of the students.
Hierarchical Digital Twin of a Naval Power SystemKerry Sado
A hierarchical digital twin of a Naval DC power system has been developed and experimentally verified. Similar to other state-of-the-art digital twins, this technology creates a digital replica of the physical system executed in real-time or faster, which can modify hardware controls. However, its advantage stems from distributing computational efforts by utilizing a hierarchical structure composed of lower-level digital twin blocks and a higher-level system digital twin. Each digital twin block is associated with a physical subsystem of the hardware and communicates with a singular system digital twin, which creates a system-level response. By extracting information from each level of the hierarchy, power system controls of the hardware were reconfigured autonomously. This hierarchical digital twin development offers several advantages over other digital twins, particularly in the field of naval power systems. The hierarchical structure allows for greater computational efficiency and scalability while the ability to autonomously reconfigure hardware controls offers increased flexibility and responsiveness. The hierarchical decomposition and models utilized were well aligned with the physical twin, as indicated by the maximum deviations between the developed digital twin hierarchy and the hardware.
Cosmetic shop management system project report.pdfKamal Acharya
Buying new cosmetic products is difficult. It can even be scary for those who have sensitive skin and are prone to skin trouble. The information needed to alleviate this problem is on the back of each product, but it's thought to interpret those ingredient lists unless you have a background in chemistry.
Instead of buying and hoping for the best, we can use data science to help us predict which products may be good fits for us. It includes various function programs to do the above mentioned tasks.
Data file handling has been effectively used in the program.
The automated cosmetic shop management system should deal with the automation of general workflow and administration process of the shop. The main processes of the system focus on customer's request where the system is able to search the most appropriate products and deliver it to the customers. It should help the employees to quickly identify the list of cosmetic product that have reached the minimum quantity and also keep a track of expired date for each cosmetic product. It should help the employees to find the rack number in which the product is placed.It is also Faster and more efficient way.
Saudi Arabia stands as a titan in the global energy landscape, renowned for its abundant oil and gas resources. It's the largest exporter of petroleum and holds some of the world's most significant reserves. Let's delve into the top 10 oil and gas projects shaping Saudi Arabia's energy future in 2024.
Top 10 Oil and Gas Projects in Saudi Arabia 2024.pdf
Water treatment
1. Water Treatment
Plant?
Should Winnipeg Build a
located on the border between
Manitoba and Ontario. Water flows
from Shoal Lake to Winnipeg by gravity
through a 160 km aqueduct. The water
is stored in Deacon Reservoir, a large
open reservoir with a capacity of 8,800
million litres. The reservoir helps main-
tain an adequate supply of water dur-
ing peak water usage and also allows
the aqueduct to be shut down for main-
tenance. Two smaller aqueducts downstream of the Deacon Reservoir deliver water to
three smaller reservoirs and pumping stations in different areas of the city. The three
area reservoirs and pumping stations act together to provide water at adequate
pressure to water users throughout the city. Fluoride is added to the water to protect
against tooth decay and chlorine is added as a disinfectant to kill microorganisms.
Deacon Reservoir
Main Aqueduct
MANITOBA
MINNESOTA
ONTARIO
Shoal Lake
(Indian Bay)
Falcon Lake Kenora
Lake of
theWoods
Trans-Canada Highway
Red River
Shoal Lake
Watershed
Boundary
Intake
Winnipeg River
PinawaWinnipeg
Winnipeg gets its drinking water
from Shoal Lake,
2. 1To reduce the risk of a waterborne
disease outbreak caused by
chlorine-resistant microorganisms.
Cryptosporidium (Crypto), a micro-
scopic parasite, can cause gastrointesti-
nal illness. For people in good health,
the illness may come and go for up to a
month. Symptoms can include diarrhea,
abdominal cramps, headaches, loss of
appetite, nausea, and a mild fever.
For people with severely weakened
immune systems, the disease can cause
prolonged distress and can be life-
threatening. Currently, there is no spe-
cific medical treatment for the disease
caused by Cryptosporidium.
2To reduce the levels of
disinfection by-products (DBP’s).
When chlorine is added to the water, it
reacts with organic matter naturally
found in Shoal Lake water to form
chemical compounds called DBP’s.
Studies show an association between
long-term exposure to high levels of
DBP’s and cancer.
3To meet evolving Canadian
Drinking Water Quality Guidelines,
which are becoming more stringent to
protect public health.
Parasites such
as Giardia and
Cryptosporidium
have been found
in virtually all
surface waters in
Canada and the
United States,
including Shoal
Lake.The primary
source for these
organisms is
human and
animal feces.
Chlorine is not
effective in killing
Giardia and
Cryptosporidium.
The proportion of the population with weakened immune sys-
tems is growing in Winnipeg, as it is elsewhere. People with
severely weakened immune systems can include those with
HIV/AIDS, persons with cancer, recipients of organ or bone mar-
row transplants, and persons being treated with immunosup-
pressing drugs.
What is a Water Treatment Plant?
A treatment plant is a large facility that passes raw water through a series of complex
treatment processes that include filtration and the addition of chemicals to increase
the safety of the water by removing microorganisms and organic material.
Microorganisms, specifically bacteria, viruses and parasites, are capable of transmit-
ting diseases to humans. These water treatment processes also improve appearance,
taste and odour.
Why are We Considering a Water Treatment Plant?
There are three important reasons why construction of a water treatment plant is
under consideration:
3. In Canada, guidelines for drinking water are set by the Federal - Provincial
Subcommittee on Drinking Water. The Manitoba government uses these guidelines
as a guide in regulating public water systems.The City of Winnipeg strives to meet the
guidelines for drinking water quality and, in most cases, meets them. However, in
some cases, such as disinfection by-products, the Winnipeg water supply is moder-
ately higher than the allowable guidelines.
There is an ongoing trend in the United States and Canada toward even more strin-
gent drinking water standards and guidelines. It is expected that these guidelines will
address issues related to waterborne organisms, such as Crypto, and chemical con-
taminants, such as disinfection by-products. With our current practice of adding
chlorine and fluoride, Winnipeg would be unable to meet these stricter guidelines.
The Water and Waste Department has a rigorous schedule of sampling and testing.
More than 45 different tests at over 70 different locations are conducted within the
water supply system, including Shoal Lake. Testing is conducted on a daily, weekly,
monthly or quarterly basis to determine compliance with the Canadian Guidelines
and other water quality objectives. Routinely, almost all of these tests are found to
meet the guidelines. In addition, testing is also conducted on a number of parame-
ters over and above current normal requirements, such as disinfection by-products,
Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and algae toxins.
The Department also has monitoring partnerships with
the Province of Manitoba and the Government of Canada.
The Province monitors the water supply system on a quar-
terly basis for parameters of interest in public water supply
systems, such as arsenic, cyanide and pesticides. Test
results show that there are no concerns regarding these
substances. The Government of Canada monitors Shoal
Lake on a monthly and a quarterly basis for a wide variety
of water quality parameters.
Do We Currently Meet
the Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines?
What Steps are Taken to Monitor the Quality
of Winnipeg’s Drinking Water?
Since 1994, Shoal Lake and the Deacon Reservoir have been routinely tested for Crypto. Crypto has not been found in any of the 85 tests
conducted on water samples from the Deacon Reservoir. Water samples taken from Shoal Lake are normally negative for Crypto.Test results
show that only 4 of 80 samples from Shoal Lake have been positive for Crypto.
4. The City of Winnipeg conducted a review of the public health risks associated with
the present water supply system. Experts in public health, along with Canadian and
international specialists in waterborne disease and water supply issues, agreed that
the existing system poses potential health risks. The health risks are waterborne dis-
ease-causing parasites, disinfection by-products, and the potential for natural or
manmade incidents, such as sabotage, chemical spills and accidents. The existing
water supply system has two serious vulnerabilities:
Ⅵ the lack of control over future human activity and industrial development around Shoal
Lake, resulting in a potential for deteriorating water quality and increasing public health
risk; and,
Ⅵ the lack of a water treatment plant to address potential health risks.
After considering all the issues, the experts who conducted the review were of the
opinion that a water treatment facility for Winnipeg’s water supply is justified to pro-
tect public health. The following are two of the key factors supporting their opinion:
1Providing the best possible protection against waterborne parasites is the highest
priority. While the risk of a major waterborne disease outbreak is relatively low for
Winnipeg, experience shows that the consequences could be severe in terms of
human health, economic losses, and loss of public confidence.
2The current process of disinfection causes disinfection by-products to be pro-
duced at undesirable levels. Long-term consumption of water with high levels of
DBP’s increases the risk of serious health effects. With the present system, there is lit-
tle choice but to apply fairly high levels of chlorine in order to achieve the best possi-
ble disinfection. There is a delicate balance between the benefits of adding chlorine
to provide protection against microorganisms, and the risks associated with the
resulting disinfection by-products. While increased disinfection helps to reduce the
health risks due to microorganisms, higher rates of added chlorine produce more
DBP’s, which in turn, can increase health risk. Balancing these health risks is a major
challenge.
A committee comprising representatives of the City of Winnipeg, the
provincial governments of Manitoba and Ontario, the federal gov-
ernment and First Nations are working to develop a sustainable
watershed management plan for Shoal Lake. In 1912, Shoal Lake was
selected as the best source of water forWinnipeg because it was inac-
cessible, relatively isolated, required no treatment and was an enor-
mous reservoir of clear, pure and soft water. However, since then, the
lake has become more accessible, and there are now well-established
summer cottages at Falcon Lake (Falcon Lake is on the Shoal Lake
watershed), as well as on the shores of Shoal Lake itself. There are proposals for the
development of additional cottages, industries and a gold mine. The committee is
working to ensure that development does not negatively affect water quality. Public
consultation will be an important aspect of this process.
What is Being Done to Protect Winnipeg’s Water Source
Is There a Risk to Public Health
with the Present Water Supply System?
5. Individual residents have several options available to them,
such as buying bottled water, or filtering, distilling and boil-
ing tap water. It is not likely that all Winnipeg residents
would use a home water treatment device or buy bottled
water. First, the cost and effort involved can be prohibitive.
Second, there is a high public expectation that the water
utility will take all necessary and reasonable steps to provide
a water supply that is reliable and as safe as possible.
The largest waterborne disease outbreak in recent North American history occurred in April 1993 in Milwaukee,Wisconsin.The outbreak
was identified as cryptosporidiosis (illness caused by Cryptosporidium) and caused approximately 400,000 people to become ill.Over 100
deaths were associated with the outbreak,mostly immunocompromised persons.In addition,the outbreak is estimated to have cost the
community millions of dollars and many lawsuits are pending. Even though Milwaukee had a water treatment plant, unusual operating
circumstances resulted in parasites passing through the facility and contaminating the water. Milwaukee has since upgraded its treat-
ment plant and made many improvements, including better water quality monitoring.
An outbreak of Giardia (“Beaver Fever”) occurred in Dauphin, Manitoba in February
1996. A new water treatment plant began operating in the summer of 1999.
A Northwestern Ontario First Nations Community located on Shoal Lake had a Crypto
outbreak in February 1997.A new water treatment plant for this community of about 370
began operating in the fall of 1998.
In August 1996 an outbreak of Crypto occurred in Kelowna, B.C., reportedly affecting
more than 10,000 people.
Are There Any Alternatives to Ensure
Safe, Quality Drinking Water into the Future?
With respect to the waterborne
parasite Cryptosporidium
(Crypto), consumers should be
aware of the following:
Bottled water
Bottled water is defined as a
food product by Health Canada,
and is not required to undergo
the same monitoring as public
water systems. Some bottled
water on the market might not
meet the Canadian Drinking
Water Quality Guidelines.
Bottled water suppliers typically
do not test for Crypto, and these
parasites can live for weeks in
the water, even if the water is
refrigerated. Labels on bottled
water stating ‘well water’, ‘artesian
well water’, ‘spring water’, or
‘mineral water’, do not guaran-
tee that the water does not
contain Crypto.
Water filters
Some home water filters as certi-
fied by NSF International
(National Sanitation Founda-
tion) can be effective against
Crypto. However, poor mainte-
nance or failure to replace filter
cartridges as recommended by
the manufacturer can cause a
filter to fail. Filters collect dis-
ease-causing organisms from
water, so someone who is not
immune compromised should
change the water filter car-
tridges.
6. If City Council approved the construction of a water treatment plant in 2000, the
plant could be operating in 2006.
The cost to build a water treatment plant is estimated at $204 million. This includes
design, construction and environmental approval costs, and provides for inflation,
since it is anticipated that construction, if approved, would not begin until late 2003
or early 2004.
The Water and Waste Department’s current financial plan provides for cash funding
for 50% of this cost from the Water Treatment Plant Reserve Fund, and for financing
the remaining 50% through long-term debt.
Established in 1993, the Water Treatment Plant Reserve Fund is financed through
water rates. In 1999, 16.5 cents of every dollar customers pay for water service goes
into theWater Treatment Plant Reserve Fund. By the end of 1999, the Department will
have accumulated savings of approximately $25 million in this reserve fund.
The annual cost to operate the water treatment plant is estimated at $12 million. This
includes operating and maintenance costs and provides for inflation, since it is
anticipated that the water treatment plant would not begin operating until 2006.
How Long Would it Take to Build a Water Treatment Plant?
How Much Would it Cost to Build a Water Treatment Plant?
What Would it Cost to Operate a Water Treatment Plant?
Conceptual design of a water treatment plant
7. Since 1992, the Department has been following a Council-approved 10-year financial
plan designed to finance the cost of two large-scale improvements, the Aqueduct
Rehabilitation Program and the proposed water treatment plant. We are more than
halfway through the 10-year program to rehabilitate the Shoal Lake aqueduct. If a
water treatment plant were approved, it would be necessary to increase the com-
bined water and sewer rate by less than 5% of the 1999 rate. For residential customers,
the 1999 combined rate is $5.34 per 100 cubic feet of consumption. For a typical
residential customer (a family of four), the increase would be less than $6.20 on
a quarterly bill of $124.00.
If Council decides not to proceed with the plant, a decrease in the combined water
and sewer rate of approximately 18% could be considered by City Council for imple-
mentation over the next four to six years. This drop in the cost of water and sewer
services would result from both a decision not to build a water treatment plant, and
completion of the Aqueduct Program in 2003. This decrease also assumes no other
major improvements in Winnipeg’s water and sewer system would be required.
Would We Have to Pay More for Water if a Water Treatment Plant is Built?
Do Other Canadian Cities Have Water Treatment Plants?
Pictured here is the pilot water treatment plant built at Deacon
Reservoir by City of Winnipeg staff in early 1996. Pilot testing was
conducted over a 16-month period to identify the best available
treatment technology for the specific characteristics of Winnipeg’s
water.Testing was conducted over four different seasons to assure
that treatment would be effective for the changing seasonal water
quality characteristics.
Most cities with surface water supplies (like Shoal Lake) have water treatment plants.
Vancouver,Victoria, Kamloops and Kelowna are examples of major Canadian cities that
do not have a water treatment plant. Vancouver is currently in the design stage of a
water treatment plant and Kelowna is considering building a water treatment plant. In
Kamloops, the Ministry of Health issued an order to have water treatment in place by
2003, because Cryptosporidium and Giardia have been detected in the water system. In
Manitoba, Winnipeg is the only large community without a water treatment plant.
Many cities with existing water treatment plants are planning to upgrade their sys-
tems to provide higher and more reliable water quality. Calgary has started the design
and construction of a four-phase upgrade
to their water treatment plant that will
result in improved protection from
Cryptosporidium and Giardia, as well as
reduce disinfection by-products to meet
future limits, which are expected to be
more stringent. Edmonton is carrying out
a study to upgrade both its water treat-
ment plants.
8. The Executive Policy Committee (EPC) of City Council is holding two special meet-
ings in October 1999 to receive public opinion on the issue of water treatment. EPC
will then provide a recommendation to Council on whether or not to proceed with
the construction of a water treatment plant. A decision by City Council is required at
this point because of the preparation time necessary for financing and planning.
The City of Winnipeg has successfully undertaken the following two initiatives to
ensure that Winnipeg has an adequate supply of water into the foreseeable future
without building another aqueduct or developing another water source in addition to
Shoal Lake:
Aqueduct Rehabilitation
In the early 1990’s, engineering studies showed that the aqueduct was in need of
major repairs. A $54 million rehabilitation program began in 1993 and will be com-
plete in 2003. The restoration program is expected to extend the useful life of the
aqueduct for at least another 50 years.
Water Conservation
The City implemented a Water Conservation Program in 1992 to promote more effi-
cient use of water, including the use of water-efficient plumbing fixtures. The com-
munity supports this program, and residential, commercial and industrial water use
has reduced in recent years. As a result, the water demand for Winnipeg is expected
to be stable for the next 20 years, even with a projected growth in population.
The Water and Waste Department recently
completed a four-year program studying
water treatment technologies; this study
included a conceptual design for a water
treatment plant. The proposed water treat-
ment plant is sized to meet current and
foreseeable water demands and standards.
How Will the Decision Be Made
About Whether or Not to Build a Water Treatment Plant?
Are There Any Other Major Expenses on the Horizon
for Our Water Supply System?
City of Winnipeg
Water and Waste Department
Aqueduct Rehabilitation
Reliable, safe water is vital for the social and economic well being of our community!