Upgrades will expand the Walkerton Clean Water Centre

The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) recently completed several upgrades at the Technology Demonstration Facility and laboratory to expand its pilot testing capabilities.

WCWC conducts pilot tests for clients across Ontario to address health-based, operational or aesthetic drinking water concerns. Bench- or pilot-scale projects can be undertaken at a client’s location or at the Technology Demonstration Facility in Walkerton. The addition of these new and updated technologies will help WCWC better serve drinking water professionals:

  • An ion chromatography machine, capable of testing 15 water quality parameters, will provide significant time and cost savings while yielding more precise results. Previously, WCWC had performed traditional wet chemistry tests for some of these parameters and outsourced others.
  • A rapid small-scale column test will allow staff to quantify contaminant treatment and estimate the adsorption capacity of media in less time while using much less water. Using a scaled filter bed with ground down media, the long-term treatment effectiveness and lifespan of filter media can be estimated. This equipment has already been in great demand and produced reliable results. Work is underway to construct a second unit, which will enable WCWC to run multiple tests simultaneously.
  • Stirred cell test units will enable proof-of-concept testing on ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis membranes. Stirred cells are scaled down membrane filtration systems used for bench-scale testing. These units use pressurized nitrogen gas to move sample water through the membrane. Upgrades are underway to support the use of higher-pressure nitrogen gas lines to run nanofiltration tests.
  • A new incubator and refrigerator will make it possible to store more water samples at precise temperatures, accurately mimicking real-world conditions for simulated distribution system testing.

These exciting new additions will help WCWC better serve the needs of Ontario’s communities as they look to optimize and improve their drinking water systems.

To learn more about WCWC’s pilot testing services, visit https://wcwc.ca/services/pilot-testing/ or contact 866-515-0550.

WCWC is an agency of the Government of Ontario, established in 2004, to help ensure clean and safe drinking water for the entire province. WCWC coordinates and provides education, training and information to drinking water system owners, operators and operating authorities, and the public, in order to safeguard Ontario’s drinking water. To date, high-quality drinking water training has been provided to more than 100,000 participants across Ontario. Through partnerships, WCWC also provides training for the 134 First Nations communities in Ontario. For more information, visit www.wcwc.ca.