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.
Table 1: Ground Water Quality at Site with High Arsenic Concentrations After Each Stage of the Biological Treatment System
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's webpage Biological Treatment of Ground Water
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