1996-1997
ADD Board Reports 15 and 43
SRC Publication No. R-1640-6-E-97
Research project conducted as a partnership between Agriculture Diversification and Development Boards (ADD Boards), Prairie Farm Revitalization Administration (PFRA), Sask Water and the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) with funding from Canada-Saskatchewan Agriculture Green Plan Agreement
OBJECTIVE:
The objective of the project was to examine and evaluate the use of biological treatment for ground water.
RESEARCHERS:
H. G. Peterson - SRC
T. Broly - SRC
J. Sketchell - Sask Water
D. Corkall - PFRA
BACKGROUND:
Two Mainstream BioFiltration systems were installed at separate locations in Saskatchewan (one in Davidson, the other in Nokomis) to treat well water.
CONCLUSIONS:
Table 1: Ground Water Quality at Site with High Arsenic Concentrations
After Each Stage of the Biological Treatment System
PARAMETER |
SWWI GOALS |
BEFORE SAND FILTER |
AFTER SAND FILTER |
AFTER BAC FILTER |
AFTER RO MEMBRANE |
Iron (mg/L) |
<0.3 |
4.34 |
0.01 |
<0.01 |
0.07 |
Manganese (mg/L) |
<0.05 |
0.322 |
0.247 |
0.212 |
0.002 |
Arsenic (mg/L) |
<0.025 |
0.029 |
0.002 |
0.002 |
<0.001 |
DOC (mg/L) |
<5.0 |
4.3 |
4.002 |
0.628 |
0.072 |
Colour (TCU) |
<15 |
33 |
8 |
4 |
3 |
Turbidity (NTU) |
<1.0 |
39.4 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
The biological treatment systems improved the water quality by removing:
- 85 - 90% of DOCs
- 87 - 90% of the colour
- 93% of arsenic
- > 99% of the turbidity
- 34 - 94% of the manganese
- >99% of the iron.
The researchers concluded that the biological removal of iron, arsenic, turbidity, ammonium and DOC was effective in the two systems studied.
For more information, please see:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Biological Treatment of Ground Water
