New technology for better effluent quality at Cold Lake’s wastewater treatment plant (pilot)

The Cold Lake Regional Utility Services Commission (CLRUSC) will partner with the City of Cold Lake to pilot how a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) system could be used to improve effluent quality and increase the capacity of Cold Lake’s existing wastewater treatment plant lagoon facility. The CLRUSC owns the lagoon system, which services approximately 15,000 residents in the City of Cold Lake and Cold Lake First Nation 149A. The CLRUSC contracts the City of Cold Lake for operations and maintenance of the facility. Regional land use changes have resulted in degraded water quality and ecosystem health in the receiving Beaver River watershed. This pilot is aimed at reducing ammonia and nutrient concentrations to meet more stringent effluent criteria. These lower effluent limits were evaluated in consultation with Alberta Environment and Parks and with Environment and Climate Change Canada to ensure that they meet regional environmental protection standards. The MBBR process involves passing wastewater through a reactor containing suspended small media specifically designed to provide a large surface area where active bacteria culture can grow. These bacteria break down ammonia, aiding the removal of organics. The pilot plant will consist of a 53-foot trailer containing all the necessary processing equipment. It will be connected to the current lagoon facility where it will treat up to 24m3 of effluent a day. Effluent quality will be monitored for five months over the winter when ammonia concentration is at its peak to determine if MBBR technology would be feasible for full-scale implementation. A final report detailing results and recommendations will be completed. Innovative aspect(s) • MBBR technology is not yet widespread—Cold Lake will be one of the first cold-climate communities to test this technology in North America. • At full-scale the MBBR reactor self-cleans and is designed to start at 65% capacity, allowing for future increases in treatment capacity. Replicability • The results of this project will be of interest to various municipalities operating lagoon facilities located in cold or remote areas and who need to upgrade their facilities to deal with capacity issues and meet federal and provincial/territorial effluent guidelines. Environmental benefits • 24m3/day of wastewater will be treated to regulatory standards, including a 19 mg/L reduction in ammonia levels and a 9 mg/L reduction in CBOD levels. • Treated wastewater is expected to pass the acute lethality test which is an indicator of effluent quality’s acute impact on fish species. • MBBR technology was one of lowest-energy-consuming technologies considered and will result in a small overall carbon footprint if implemented at full-scale. • Full-scale implementation would take advantage of mostly existing infrastructure, lessening the impact on the surrounding area. Economic benefits • Integrating MBBR technology with the existing facility and reusing the existing infrastructure means avoiding the capital costs associated with building a full-scale wastewater treatment facility. • If upgraded, the facility will have the hydraulic and biological capacity for future growth, removing restrictions to expanding local business and residential development. • Increased capacity will allow the CLRUSC to service neighbouring municipalities, allowing for cost-sharing opportunities. • MBBR technology has the lowest life-cycle costs compared to other alternatives. Social benefits • A 25-year design horizon for the full-scale facility would allow servicing capacity for a projected 30,800 regional residents, providing reliable and cost-effective sanitary services to all. (Project description from original funding application)