Large amounts of sewage sludge (SS) have been generated yearly by municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWPs), which entail huge operational expenses and advanced treatments, and the final disposal of biosolids in agricultural applications is reduced because of the potential environmental risks (e.g., heavy metals and emerging contaminants) associated with biosolids applications.
Municipalities across Canada are in need of sustainable strategies to manage their sewage sludge. The goal of this project is to create an intuitive, user-friendly software tool to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts associated with alternative sewage sludge management and disposal strategies. The project will support Kerr Wood Leidal Associates, a recognized leader in stormwater and wastewater management, continue to be a progressive leader in the domain.
The general objective of the proposed activity is to increase the future productivity of Burrard Inlet and the contribution of seafood to the diet of Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) members in support of the TWN Cumulative Effects Monitoring Initiative. Specifically we propose to (1) quantify the ecological variables driving contemporary clam density, biomass and diversity; (2) experimentally test the effects of TWN clam tending practices on contemporary clam growth rates and survivorship; and (3) to inform decisions about resilient TWN clam management strategies in Burrard Inlet.
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are groups of contaminants that have received much attention due to their frequent detection in the environment and potential adverse health effect on humans and animals. PFASs can be removed from water using adsorption processes. Adsorbent produced by pyrolysis of sewage sludge (SBAC) offers a promising sustainable solution for removing PFAS contamination in environmental water (e.g., stormwater, wastewater). This research will investigate the effectiveness of SBAC in removing mixture of PFASs from environmental water.
Lynn Creek poses flood and erosion risks in North Vancouver, BC. The surrounding urban areas are not protected by structural flood protection measures, and flood mitigation has historically been conducted through gravel removals, which increase the depth of the channel. Recent analysis has shown that gravel removals are relatively ineffective at reducing the flood risk, which will continue to increase alongside climate change. In addition, Lynn Creek is a fish-bearing watercourse and gravel removals pose potential impacts to habitat.
The general objective of the proposed activity is to increase the future productivity of Burrard Inlet and the contribution of seafood to the diet of Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) members in support of the TWN Cumulative Effects Monitoring Initiative.
Sewage sludge wastes have been treated by diverse techniques to obtain sludge-based activated carbon (SBAC). These materials show excellent properties as sorbents of, e.g., organic pollutants, heavy metals, and nitrogen/phosphorous-based nutrients. In a previous research, the loading of emerging contaminants on SBAC has been achieved.
Rivers naturally shift and move through lateral erosion and deposition, which can cause problems for infrastructure that is built on riverbanks. Traditional engineering solutions have entirely halted lateral movement, which can have negative consequences. This research is investigating an alternative method, which uses grains that are within the grain size distribution of the riverbed, rather than the method known as riprap, which are much larger grains. This research will use a flume to model the Nicola River, alongside computer models.
Pollutants in stormwater runoff and municipal wastewater are grave concerns to the receiving environment of lakes and streams, as nutrients (Phosphorus (P), Nitrogen (N)) contribute to eutrophication. While rain gardens are effective to retain and retard stormwater runoff and removal of certain organic pollutants, limited studies have been conducted on nutrient capture.
This research focuses on waste-to-resource for nutrient removal from aqueous environments.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) release to stormwater through wear of asphalt and tire as well as deposition of vehicle exhaust are of great concern due to its acute toxic, carcinogenic and estrogenic effects on aquatic organisms. Stormwater contaminated with these organic pollutants pose a threat to receiving waters. Kerr Wood Leidal (KWL) is a leader in proving progressive solutions for stormwater management in BC, is seeking to improve the rain garden system to effectively capture these organic pollutants in the runoff.
