Particles are often measured in terms of turbidity. While turbidity in itself does not mean that the water contains pathogenic microbes it has been shown that even quite low turbidity levels (

This has prompted the US Environmental Protection Agency to demand turbidity levels of less than 0.1 NTU for treated surface waters while Canada still maintains an aesthetic turbidity level of 5.0 NTUs. Optimized conventional treatment systems (chemically assisted filtration) may be able to reach levels of 0.5 NTUs although this is a rare occurrence in Saskatchewan for municipally treated rural water. To decrease the turbidity levels even further will require a major rethinking of how water is treated for individual users as well as for small communities. New technologies need to be evaluated and researched and old technologies will have to be made more effective.

The Need:

High levels of particles in prairie surface waters (and some ground waters) make the production of safe drinking water especially challenging because these particles include microbes, such as viruses, bacteria, algae, and protozoan parasites. For example, up to 2.5 billion viruses per ml of water was recently found in Saskatchewan drinking water dugouts. Even inorganic particles can present a problem as these particles can shelter microbes from being killed by disinfection agents (chlorine, ozone etc.). In a National Research Council book (Microbial threats to humans in the United States) a high percentage of microbial illnesses that threaten human health in the United States are potentially water-borne. Removal of pathogenic microbes before consumption of drinking water remains the highest priority for the production of safe drinking water. Without cost-effective means of removing particles from water it is unlikely that safe drinking water will be achieved. The water is transported from the Rocky Mountains to Saskatchewan in rivers lined with gravel; this is ideal for drinking water production.

Beneficiaries:

Farmers, rural communities, students, all levels of government, academia, industry.

Objective:

SDWF will act as a catalyst to pull together scientists and improve the R&D capability of particle removal from water so that the treated water will be suitable for the production of safe drinking water.

Management (scientific expertise):

Scientists and technical support people will be assigned to different tasks of this project.

Impact:

Cost-effective removal of particles from water will provide water users and companies with new tools to deal with a very difficult problem standing in the way of the production of safe drinking water. It is anticipated that this work will be useful around the world and the results from the work will be highlighted in the Safe Drinking Water Newsletter and articles will be submitted to the Safe Drinking Water Research Journal ensuring a world-wide audience.

Time frame:

This is an on-going project where cutting edge particle removal R&D will be conducted. Funding for a three year term is sought.

Recognition:

Material produced under this project will acknowledge sponsors in proportion to the level of contribution received. Sponsorship will also be acknowledged on SDWF's web site.

Evaluation: