La Ronge, Air Ronge, and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band will soon have a more reliable and sustainable source of domestic water

Test hole drilling

Jar testing

Associated Engineering is completing a preliminary design of a regional water supply system to supply high quality potable water more cost effectively than what is currently projected for the future, and to meet the longer term growth projections for the developing communities of La Ronge, Air Ronge, and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB).

The communities, through the jointly-owned Lac La Ronge Regional Water Corporation, wish to undertake the design and construction of a regional water supply and distribution system. The project involves combining the existing water systems as well as upgrading the La Ronge Water Treatment Plant and raw water intake, construction of new connection feeder mains and modification to the current facilities in Air Ronge and Lac La Ronge Indian Band 156. The cooperative approach encourages communities to work with their neighbours to develop regional systems with long-term benefits for water quality, sustainability, and economic development opportunities.

The preliminary design for this project consisted of gathering data, investigating and analyzing existing conditions, determinating regulatory requirements, establishing the design criteria, and developing a number of options that would meet those design criteria.

A pilot testing phase has been initiated which will assess several ion exchange processes for removal of disinfection by-product precursors. A micro-filtration membrane pilot is also planned. The results of the pilot testing will allow detailed design of the water treatment plant upgrade to proceed. The plant will be expanded from 50 litres per second to 100 litres per second to service the entire region.

Construction of the pipelines and water treatment plant is scheduled for 2008 and 2009. SaskWater are assisting our team and providing project management services.

Associated Engineering wastewater specialists
meet for wastewater technology symposium

Some communities are considering the benefits of distributed wastewater management

On June 20, Associated Engineering’s wastewater specialist gathered at the Gold Bar Centre of Excellence in Edmonton for a symposium on the future of wastewater treatment. Entitled “Looking Ahead at the Next Decade”, more than 40 specialists discussed trends and developments in wastewater treatment. Topics included design approaches for pump stations and ultraviolet disinfection systems, dealing with micro-constituents, the impacts of potable water use on wastewater characterization, and new trends in the industry, such as heat recovery from wastewater and the potential reuse of digested sludge, for example, as fuel for the cement industry. Attendees also discussed the challenges small communities face when upgrading their existing wastewater treatment system, continued the debate on the conversion of lagoon systems, and deliberated the challenges and potential pitfalls of developing technical specifications.

A number of the City of Edmonton staff joined the group for the afternoon session, which consisted of presentations by Rick Corbett, Dean Shiskowski, and Dave Forgie. Dean discussed the potential impact of greenhouse gases on wastewater management; Rick updated the group on the developments in distributed wastewater management; and Dave brought the group up to speed on the changing world of biosolids management.

Many thanks to the presenters, City of Edmonton staff, and those behind the scenes, including Claire Arnault, Donna Bonk, and Karen Kinakin, who contributed to the success of the symposium. Associated Engineering wastewater specialists meet for wastewater technology symposium