Town of Cobourg
RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF CANADA’S BEST PLACES TO LIVE
The Town of Cobourg is a picturesque municipality nestled along the shores of Lake Ontario, a little more than an hour’s drive east of Toronto. Founded in 1798, the town of 19,440 is a popular destination for tourists who can enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches on Lake Ontario, an exceptional marina and nearby campgrounds. Cobourg has been recognized multiple times by MoneySense Magazine as “One of Canada’s Best Places to Live” in populations under 25,000.
Cobourg’s wastewater treatment facility had used chlorine as a disinfectant for its wastewater since 1969 and later added sulphur dioxide as a final step. In 2016, it needed to test a chlorine-free wastewater treatment that would accomplish a number of goals.
Client Needs
Protection of Aquatic Life
Decrease Cobourg’s Environmental Footprint
Compliance With All Government Regulations
Increased Operational Safety
Reduction of Costs
Easily Retrofitted with Existing Equipment
Modular, Within the Existing Footprint
Fast Facts
CLIENT: Town of Cobourg
LOCATION: Cobourg, Ontario, Canada
DATE: January 2016
CONTAMINANTS:
E-Coli, CECs, Ammonia, Nitrates & Nitrites, Trubitity
FLOW RATE:
16,000 - 36,000 m3/day
The Cobourg Wastewater Treatment Plant #1 has used chlorine to disinfect its effluent since 1969.
Beginning in 2008, dechlorination with sulfur dioxide was also added to comply with Environment Canada requirement of <0.02 mg/L of chlorine entering the waterways. The addition of one chemical to neutralize another is an inefficient use of municipal funds and needlessly adds chemicals to our waterways.
Balancing these chemicals to ensure compliance with both provincial and federal regulations, is a very labour-intensive task that requires considerable attention from the Plant Operators. In 2016, Cobourg was introduced to a new Ozone Disinfection System that claimed to require less capital outlay than traditional systems and consumed less electricity than traditional ozone systems.
Aclarus was eager to introduce their new system to the market and Cobourg was looking for a cost-effective alternative to chlorine. With the financial assistance of a Green Fund Grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Town of Cobourg and Aclarus embarked on a co-venture pilot study.
THE ACLARUS SOLUTION
With a Green Fund grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Aclarus and the Town of Cobourg undertook a full-scale pilot project in 2016 that integrated an Aclarus Ozone System into the existing infrastructure of the wastewater treatment facility. During the project, water samples were collected and tested for E. coli, suspended solids, contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) ammonia, nitrates and nitrites, colour, and turbidity (water clarity).
The treated wastewater was also tested onsite for dissolved oxygen, dissolved ozone, chlorine, and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), which measures the disinfection power of the treatment. Test results found no presence of E.coli, no chlorine or other chemical residual, reduced (CECs), reduced colouration of water and an ORP level of >800 was reached in minutes, 16,000 to 36,000 m3/day.
Technical Specifications
Control Panel with HMI/PLC Control
Air Compressor - 88 SCFM
Oxygen Generator – up to 65-SCFM
Oxygen Generator – 1.2kg/hr 13% Transfer
Ozone Injection System - maximize ozone mass transfer; includes ozone degas and off-gas destruct
Oxidative Reduction Potential (ORP) Automatic Feedback Control
25Hp Pumps (x2)
The Aclarus System performed flawlessly since its installation.
It provides adequate disinfection during peak Plant loading and can operate continuously at 100% output without failing. This has led to consistent disinfection where E. coli population were reduced by 99.9%.
Bill Peeples, Manager Environmental Services, Town of Cobourg.
THE BENEFITS
There is no need to purchase, transport, store and handle chlorine or other potentially harmful chemicals.
Reduced monthly costs because there is less need to purchase/store expensive chemicals; costs about 5 cents per 1000 litres of water treated, significantly less than other treatments.
Completely disinfects the water; removes colour; removes harmful metals, microplastics and other micro-organisms more effectively than other treatments.
There are no chemical residuals or by-products; increased dissolved oxygen in the water improves the health of aquatic species.
The treated wastewater meets or exceeds all environmental regulations.
The system was easily retrofitted and installed into the existing building to help keep infrastructure costs low. The system is easy to use, takes up little room and is modular for easy expansion or service.
We Can Help
Do you have a water challenge or want to learn more about this use case?
We’d love to discuss your water treatment needs and develop a solution that’s right for you.