OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES OF A DIRECT FILTRATION WATER TREATMENT PLANT IN LIGHT OF LAKE RECOVERY

Abstract

There are many direct filtration plants across North America and around the world that continue to provide safe drinking water. One of the biggest challenge they have faced in recent times is changing water quality due to Lake Recovery. As lakes recover from years of acid deposition, they are responding both chemically and biologically. Although the effects of Lake Recovery in terms of changing water quality have been studied well (increased DOC and biology), their impacts on a water supply plant are not well understood. This thesis discusses the challenges that a water supply plant in Halifax, Nova Scotia is facing in light of Lake Recovery and how the utility has been able to overcome these challenges reactively as they come. Additionally, this thesis provides some short and long term opportunities for the plant to make it more robust and resilient to face the ongoing and upcoming Lake Recovery challenges.