Scrubbing the water

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It sounds like science fiction, but Greater Vernon Water staff want to to try air scrubbing Duteau Creek water in order for it to reach Interior Health Authority drinking standards.

They hope to start a $40,000 pilot project using ultraviolet treatment and air scrubbing in order to kill protozoa, tiny organisms that inhabit the water even after it has been chlorinated.

Staff plan to apply for $10,000 in provincial funds while another $30,000 would come from the operations budget, if approved by the North Okanagan Regional District's board of directors.

While the Duteau water treatment plant meets provincial standards for turbidity, virus and bacteria removal, it does not meet standards to remove protozoa.

“Part of the problem is filtration is extremely expensive,” said Dale McTaggart, NORD's general manager of engineering.

A proposed filtration facility costing $18 million to $36 million was defeated by voters in a 2014 borrowing referendum.

The pilot study would test the technologies before a significant investment in them was made. McTaggart said if they work, building a facility would be significantly less money than filtration.

Preliminary construction estimates put such a facility in the $8 million to $10 million range.

“We're rolling the dice with eight to ten million,” said advisory council director Bob Spiers.

But McTaggart countered that if the project worked for ten or 20 years, new technology could be available by then to make cleaning the water much less expensive.

“There are a lot of variables,” conceded McTaggart.