Development of subsurface wastewater treatment systems for municipal wastewater management in northern Canada

北方社区市政基础设施的建设和运营面临许多挑战，包括气候、偏远和能力。地下废水处理系统，在北美的一些司法管辖区被称为快速渗透盆地（rib）或土壤含水层处理（SATs）系统，可能是小型、偏远、北部社区有效的废水管理替代方案。在加拿大北部，一些社区已经在使用一种地下废水处理方式，但在北部环境中，这种做法的性能和环境风险尚未得到研究。该项目将为加拿大北部的地下污水处理系统的选址和设计制定具体的指导方针，并涉及到达尔豪斯大学与负责西北地区市政污水处理系统的监管和实施的主要政府机构之间的强有力的合作关系。该研究将包括使用地下废水处理系统对北部社区的永久冻土动态、地下水流动和污染物运输进行详细的实地调查。这些信息将用于校准和验证新的数值模型，这些模型能够模拟这些类型的系统在各种环境条件下的性能，包括气候变化。这个研究项目有可能产生新的废水管理解决方案，这将有助于保护加拿大北部和土著居民的健康及其生活环境。

There are numerous challenges with respect to the construction and operation of municipal infrastructure innorthern communities, including climate, remoteness, and capacity. Subsurface wastewater treatment systems,termed Rapid Infiltration Basins (RIBs) or Soil Aquifer Treatment (SATs) systems in several North Americanjurisdictions, could be an effective wastewater management alternative for small, remote, northerncommunities. Several communities already use a form of subsurface wastewater treatment in the CanadianNorth, but the performance and environmental risks associated with the practice in northern environments havenot been studied. This project will generate northern specific guidelines for both siting and designingsubsurface wastewater treatment systems in the Canadian North, and involves a strong partnership betweenDalhousie University and the key government agencies responsible for both the regulation and implementationof municipal wastewater treatment systems in the Northwest Territories. The research will involve detailedfield investigations of permafrost dynamics, groundwater flow and contaminant transport in northerncommunities using subsurface wastewater treatment systems. This information will be used to calibrate andvalidate new numerical models capable of simulating the performance of these types of systems under a varietyof environmental conditions, including a changing climate. This research project has the potential to generatenew wastewater management solutions that will help protect the health of northern and indigenous Canadiansand the environments they live in.