Curing a Contamination Crisis in Canada

What began as reports of unusual taste and odor had quickly become an urgent drinking water challenge—one made more difficult by Iqaluit’s remote Arctic location.

Responding to a Remote Drinking Water Crisis

Home to approximately 7,500 residents, the drinking water system in Iqaluit is unique because of its use of an above-ground utilidor to keep pipes from freezing in the winter. Responding to a potential contamination event in this environment presented its own set of logistical and operational challenges.

The community’s remote location, the ongoing effects of the pandemic and heavy winter storms that threatened to shut down key operations for days at a time meant that officials needed to identify the source of the contamination quickly. A precautionary “Do Not Consume” order was issued by the Chief Public Health Officer, and officials got to work on finding the source and determining how far the contamination had spread.

Identifying the Hydrocarbon Contamination Source

The investigation first needed to answer two critical questions: what was contaminating the water and where was it coming from? Aquatic Life Ltd., a leading provider of water monitoring solutions, collaborated with an engineering team from WSP of Canada to identify the source of the contamination.

Using an s::can spectrometer from Badger Meter, Aquatic Life and WSP chemists calibrated the device to measure for petroleum hydrocarbons. The micro::station, equipped with an online spectrometer (spectro::lyser V3), provided continuous monitoring for hydrocarbon contamination, while the custom calibrations allowed for precise analysis and detection of contaminants in the source water.

The monitoring ultimately led the investigation back to the water treatment plant. A leaking underground fuel tank was identified as the source of the contamination, with fuel diffusing through concrete and entering the plant’s water tanks.

WSP engineers promptly bypassed the contaminated water tanks and performed a network-wide flushing campaign, successfully curbing the contamination. Combining online water quality monitoring with custom hydrocarbon detection helped Aquatic Life and WSP respond quickly to the public health crisis and improve process control.

Online Monitoring for Faster Contamination Response

Identifying the source addressed the immediate problem, but the investigation also highlighted a significant limitation in how quickly the utility could assess changing water quality conditions.

Prior to implementing the Badger Meter water quality monitoring solution, it took a third-party lab up to one week to return results on water samples taken at the treatment plant, meaning the utility and Iqaluit residents were relying on water quality data that could be up to a week old. During an active contamination event, that delay made it more difficult to understand current conditions and determine when action might be needed.

The implementation of an online spectrometer provided the City of Iqaluit with near real-time water quality data, supporting faster response to potential hydrocarbon contamination events.

Utility operations staff can take a sample from anywhere within the distribution system and get immediate results, reducing reliance on third-party labs and shortening the time needed to identify conditions that may require action. Over the course of the investigation into the contamination, 500 grab samples were screened.

These samples provided critical insights into various processes and conditions in the network, and the collected data was used to establish an extensive records database. Combined with online monitoring, the extensive sampling effort helped build a clearer picture of water quality conditions throughout the investigation.

Expanding Monitoring Across the Treatment Process

As the immediate crisis came under control, the focus expanded beyond hydrocarbon detection. The contamination event prompted a broader review of how water quality was monitored throughout the treatment process. Engineers added monitoring points and replaced legacy systems to provide greater visibility across the plant.

Today, micro::stations are in use at the plant inlet and final treated water outlet, along with a pre-reservoir monitoring point for enhanced process control.

A secondary flow loop has been incorporated at the treated water station to measure chlorine levels before and after the reservoir. Several chlori::lysers are being used to monitor chlorine control and residual levels in the distribution network.

Together, these monitoring points provide greater visibility into water quality as it moves through treatment and into the distribution system. The online monitoring stations deliver data seamlessly to SCADA and PLC systems, allowing for remote access, process control, alarms and operational support.

In addition to hydrocarbon monitoring, the systems also track parameters such as turbidity, color, chlorine, UVT, UV254, pH, fluoride, temperature, organics and spectral alarms. Together, these measurements provide a broader view of source water, treatment performance and water quality throughout the distribution system while supporting regulatory compliance.

Water quality monitoring at the plant inlet (left) and plant outlet (right) in Iqaluit, Nunavut.

Custom Calibrations for Hydrocarbon Detection

While online monitoring provided faster access to water quality data, the custom calibrations developed during the initial investigation added another layer of insight into the specific contaminants affecting the water.

One key component of the project was the development of highly sensitive algorithms with custom calibrations based on sample data, employing an extended path length for enhanced hydrocarbon detection. This customized hydrocarbon fingerprinting analysis helped identify similarities between samples, pinpointing potential contamination sources.

This fingerprinting analysis was used to distinguish different types of contamination, minimize false positives and enable precise identification of the source of contamination. In response, WSP worked with the city to remove the contaminant and associated fuel tank.

Just three months later, those custom calibrations would prove valuable again. An additional contamination event was detected by the custom calibrations on the spectrometer. This time, the hydrocarbon signature was different. The contaminant was a heavier hydrocarbon and was traced back to a concrete sealing compound originally used in the construction of a tank that had since deteriorated.

Because the second event was detected early, the engineering team had an opportunity to respond before it resulted in another widespread service disruption. The team implemented a bypass pipe through the plant, preventing another large-scale interruption of service event.

“There were a lot of unknowns at the beginning of the crisis, Steven Simpson, Head of Projects and Solutions with Aquatic Life Ltd. said. “The spectro::lyser gave us real-time decision-making information to restore the water supply and protect the plant moving forward. All things considered, it's a small investment to make to protect the public and we're glad to see other plants adopting this technology after the fact. The Badger Meter team was exceptionally helpful in assisting the Aquatic Life and WSP team over the course of the project with custom algorithms and technical support.”

Supporting Long-Term Drinking Water Quality

What began as an emergency response to an unknown contaminant ultimately led to a more comprehensive approach to monitoring Iqaluit’s drinking water. The technology that helped investigators identify the original contamination source now plays a role in ongoing water quality oversight.

Today, weekly testing for petroleum hydrocarbons in the water, using 11 different parameters—as well as all other daily and weekly water quality monitoring and testing as required by legislation—has helped to restore consumer confidence in Iqaluit’s water supply.