Pilot Testing Project Helps Address Long-Term Boil Water Advisory
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) recently completed a pilot testing project with Wauzhushk Onigum Nation, helping the community address a long-term boil water advisory that has been in place since 2012.
Wauzhushk Onigum Nation is located on Lake of the Woods in Northwestern Ontario. The lake water has high organics and colour making it a challenging water source for satisfying the requirements of UV disinfection. Before implementing decentralized point-of-entry (POE) systems for a portion of the community, Wauzhushk Onigum Nation worked with WCWC on a pilot testing project. WCWC tested POE technologies for effectiveness in removing turbidity and organics in order to improve UV disinfection. The test results were shared with consultants in the design of the decentralized water systems.
WCWC conducts pilot tests for clients to enhance their understanding of source water characteristics and the performance of treatment processes and alternative treatment options. Bench or pilot scale projects can be undertaken at a client’s location or at the Technology Demonstration Facility in Walkerton.
WCWC has years of pilot testing experience in areas such as natural organic matter, disinfection by-products, iron and manganese treatment, arsenic, and coagulation. Completed pilot testing reports are available on WCWC’s Drinking Water Resource Library, which is a free online portal that assists drinking water professionals in finding information on various topics.
To learn more about WCWC’s pilot testing services, please visit https://wcwc.ca/services/pilot-testing/ or contact us at 866-515-0550.
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Pilot Testing At WCWC
Are you curious about pilot testing? Devendra Borikar, Technology Demonstration Lead, and Jeff Avedesian, Acting Scientist, answer common questions about WCWC’s pilot testing program:
What is pilot testing?
A WCWC pilot project is a small-scale practical study conducted in order to evaluate feasibility, duration, or performance of a water treatment strategy and its effect on water quality. This can include bench or pilot-scale projects that may address health based, operational, or aesthetic water quality parameters.
What kind of projects have you done in the past?
WCWC has completed pilots that addressed cyanotoxins and cyanobacteria, arsenic, manganese, trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, aluminum, dissolved organic carbon, chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, iron, and sulfates using various specific strategies. WCWC can also provide information to owners, operators and other decision-makers in the form of a literature review for the purpose of making educated and informed decisions.
Is the work done in Walkerton or at my site?
The work can be completed either on-site or at the WCWC Technology Demonstration Facility depending on site-specific conditions.
What do you do with the results?
WCWC provides the owner and operating authority with preliminary data throughout the pilot, a detailed report and treatment recommendations. With the permission of the client, WCWC may choose to present the study at conferences and tradeshows, and may include results from the project in future training materials.
To learn more about WCWC’s pilot testing services, please visit wcwc.ca/pilottesting or contact Devendra Borikar at dborikar@wcwc.ca or 1-866-515-0550 ext. 313.
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