Feasibility for 'Real Time' Quantification of Wastewater Bacteriological Composition

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The concept of a 'real time' pathogen detection and quantification holds tremendous value from a water qualityand human health perspective. This is essential not only from a drinking water perspective, but also from awastewater effluent discharge. For example, such an approach could inform public beach/recreational wateraccess, stormwater runoff discharge, sewer overflow quality or polishing pond performance to name a few.TECTA-PDS developed the world's first automated, EPA-approved microbiological water quality testingsystem, making it easier, faster and less expensive to do on-site water testing for E. coli bacteria. To date, thistechnology has primarily been focused on determining drinking water portability via presence-absence tests forEscherichia coli (E. coli), total coliforms and Enterococcus. The existing technology is limited to binary resultsfor wastewater applications, however TECTA-PDS equipment can provide quantifying values. This projectaims to broaden bacterial quantifiability on a range of bacteria specific to wastewater quality. This will beaccomplised by (1) determining whether TECTA is a viable method of quantifying bacteria composition inwastewater from different sources; (2) assessing whether existing calibrations (for E. coli, total coliforms andEnterococcus) in drinking water are suitable for wastewater; and (3) establishing appropriate wastewater testingprotocols and TECTA parameters via custom calibrations. In the short term, tthe project will train one MAScand two undergraduate HQP over a 6-month period. Positive results will enable subsequent collaborations, on alonger term basis, involving bench-scale, then pilot-scale testing in collaboration with TECTA-PDS at theBeaty Water Research Centre at Queen's University. The capacity for rapid monitoring of bacterial wastewaterparameters for small, rural and remote communities could assist these communities to achieve their regulatoryeffluent discharge requirements at a low cost. This in turn is expected to improve protection for Canadianwatersheds which are currently being impacted by wastewater discharge in exceedance of regulatoryrequirements.