June 2018 Pipeline

Summer 2018 ~ 17th Edition 

SASKATCHEWAN WATER AND 

WASTEWATER ASSOCIATION 

Stop 

Don’t 

believing

Summer 

The pipeline is produced quarterly by the 

Saskatchewan Water and Wastewater Association. 

Produced by Campbell Printing Ltd., Prince Albert, SK 

For article /photograph submissions or for further 

information or content ideas please contact 

SWWA Office Manager Calle Behnke 

Work: 306-668-1278 

Toll Free: 888-668-1278 

Email: office@swwa.ca 

Box 7831 Saskatoon, SK S7K 4R5 

3 

20 

18 

17 

4| Kelly’s Corner 

5| Presidents Message 

7| Regionalization of 

Infrastructure 

9| Safety is Caring 

10| Its in the Bag 

20| Regional Contract 

Operator Program 

21| WaterAid - What a 

Difference 5 Years Makes 

44| World Water Day 

28| Member Profile 

30| Flushables 

32| Hydrant Training 

32| Operator Certification 

Board 

35| Golf 

41| Is YOUR SWWA 

Information up to Date? 

42| Invasive Species 

45| Member Profile 

9

KELLY’S CORNER 

Don’t 

Stop 

believing 

There is nothing that has united Canada more or 

Saskatchewan than the unfortunate accident resulting in 

the deaths of many members of the Humboldt Broncos 

WHL team and staff. Grief is something we can all relate to, 

each one of us reacts to grief in different ways but I can 

honestly say I have never been more proud to be from 

Saskatchewan and a Canadian than I was this spring. Across 

the entire country, people put out hockey sticks at their 

doorsteps to show the solidarity that we all stood together 

during this time of grief. We have all been or will be at some 

point a parent who takes their children to events outside of 

our communities, many of us have waved good bye from 

the school as the bus has left with a load of children or 

youth eager to participate in the days events or the longer 

trip. Many of us could see ourselves in the grief on the faces 

of the parents/grandparents and children who have had to 

deal with this unimaginable tragedy. On behalf of the 

SWWA Executive our thoughts and prayers are with each 

and every person affected by the tragedy. 

I know it is June, but what you may not realize is that we 

spend two months preparing for each issue of the Pipeline 

sometimes more depending on when the brilliant ideas for 

something show up. I am really excited to launch a new era 

of the Pipeline with some new features. 

This past Spring we participated in a World Water Day event 

at the Wynyard School and I just want to give a special 

shout out to Dj who is just top notch and well awesome!! 

She created and presented a fantastic talk to the 

environment group at the school and thanks to her boss for 

letting her take the time out of her job to do so. Wouldn’t 

you agree the young faces on the front cover are just a small 

glimpse of the potential operators we may see in 10-12 

years? 

Spring workshops were a success this year with: 

• Are you prepared, Emergency Response planning, 

certification, and WSA updates – WSA Staff 

• Hydrant Operation & Maintenance – Jordan Webb 

Mueller Canada 

• Membrane Technology – Kelly Franks Delco Water 

• Due Diligence – Mile Yeshoshuk SaskWater 

We had great turnout at all events and I cannot say enough 

how grateful we are to all of the instructors taking the time 

to create presentations that are so informative and teach so 

much. 

I, like all of you, was more than ready for spring to arrive 

even if winter had other ideas…and then it was June…if 

you were not at the golf tournament then you should have 

been it was a fantastic time and the attendance and 

networking that happened were incredible. You don’t have 

to be a golfer to enjoy our tournament or to walk away glad 

you attended. Thank you to all of the sponsors of the holes, 

those who donated prizes and to Wade Shutko of Cleartech 

for being a great supplier rep and helping get the hole 

thing organized. Also huge thanks to ClearTech for 

sponsoring the beverage cart. Thank you to all who bought 

50/50 tickets, mulligans, and lost balls you are helping 

making a huge difference in the lives of others in Mali 

where we are currently involved with a WaterAid project. 

Don’t Stop Believing is the theme for this issue and I think it 

fits, we are coming out of a great Spring with a fantastic 

feature article featuring World Water Day and one of our 

very own operators. Never stop believing that you can be 

the change needed, the person that some little guy wants 

to be when he/she grows up. You never know the mark you 

will leave. 

. . . be the change needed

SWWA 

SWWA EXECUTIVE___________________ 

TIM COX ~ PRESIDENT 

City of Swift Current 

Work: 306-778-2725 Fax: 306-778-1634 

Email: t.cox@swiftcurrent.ca 

KELLY KISH ~ PAST-PRESIDENT 

Town of Kipling 

Work: 306-736-8805 Fax: 306-736-2396 

Email: glokel@sasktel.net 

RYNETTE MOORE-GUILLAUME ~ VICE PRESIDENT 

SaskWater 

Work: 306-694-3941 Fax: 306-694-3207 

Email: rynette.moore@saskwater.com 

KARLIS VAN CAESEELE~ TREASURER 

Town of Langenburg 

Work: 306-743-2219 Fax: 306-743-2453 

Email: karlisvc@sasktel.net 

CORY MCMAHON ~ SECRETARY 

Town of Biggar 

Work: 306-948-5136 Fax: 306-948-5136 

Email: corden@sasktel.net 

DIRECTORS_________________________ 

SUSAN DOBROWNEY 

City of Saskatoon 

Work: 306-975-2534 Fax: 306-975-7906 

Email: susan.dobrowney@saskatoon.ca 

BLAINE CROWLEY 

Town of Nipawin 

Work: 306-862-9866 Fax: 306-862-3076 

Email: b.crowley@nipawin.com 

LUKE LOCKHART 

Town of Outlook 

Phone: 306-860-7575 

email: townofoutlookwater@hotmail.ca 

REPRESENTATIVES________________ 

GOVERNMENT 

KELLY NEUERT 

Water Security Agency 

Work: 306-787-7911 

Email: kelly.neuert@wsask.ca 

SUPPLIERS 

WADE SHUTKO 

ClearTech 

Email: wshutko@cleartech.ca 

SWWA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

we will 

go on. . . 

In the wake of the tragic events involving the Humboldt Broncos on April 6th, I saw 

something remarkable. I saw the province and country that I love put aside everything 

… EVERYTHING, to come together to deal with an unspeakable event. I saw small 

town Saskatchewan open her heart to families in need that she’s never met, and to 

complete strangers that didn’t know where they might stay and didn’t know how to 

ask. I saw communities large and small, and people from all walks of life focus all 

energy on one goal and one goal only…getting through the pain. I do not pretend to 

know what the families and friends are going through and will continue to go 

through. I hope I never know. Having been raised in Swift Current, I know what the 

community is going through, and I know that after 30 years, it’s still difficult for some 

of those involved to talk about the events of that December day. So how can we 

respond when people ask, “Where do we go from here?” There’s no single answer for 

everyone who asks this question, although the common thread, without sounding 

trivial, is “on” … “We will go on”. 

No one heals overnight, and as we move on there will be difficulties, especially for 

those closest … but they will go on. The Broncos will play again, and their community 

will rally behind them … and they will go on. And though nothing can bring back the 

lives that were lost, the memories of them will last forever, as we go on. 

The SWWA would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the victims and their 

families as they move through this difficult time. 

Tim Cox 

SWWA President 

on. . . we will go on. 

we want 

YOU 

Get involved 

We are looking for SWWA members who 

would like to be involved with various SWWA 

events from networking events to the annual 

conference. 

CONTACT CALLE AT THE SWWA OFFICE, 

OFFICE@SWWA.CA FOR MORE INFORMATION.

PROVEN 

THROUGH 

PERFORMANCE 

Kayden Industries has experience in Dredging, Desludging and 

Mechanical Dewatering of municipal lagoons. Kayden prepares prior to 

the job commencing by properly surveying the lagoon, laboratory testing 

the material, then proposing the most e cient equipment and chemical 

package. At the end of the project we deliver a post dredge scan to prove 

our performance. 

CONTACT KAYDEN INDUSTRIES TODAY! 

Toby Bird 

Business Development Consultant 

tbird@kaydenindustries.com 

T 403.571.6688 

C 403.993.9269 

403.571.6688 

24/7 SUPPORT: 1.855.571.6688 

Manfacturing Plant: 

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3348 58 TH Avenue S.E. 

1630 801 6 TH Avenue S.W. 

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KAYDEN’S PROMISE TO YOU 

Kayden’s success over the past 20 years has been built on 

manufacturing one of the largest, most reliable and most 

e cient horizontal decanting centrifuges available in the 

dewatering industry. 

These high capacity centrifuges are specically designed 

for dewatering, and when combined with the most e cient 

dredges built in North America they create a mechanical 

desludging and dewatering package unsurpassed in the 

industry. 

Kayden can assure all clients that our technology will deliver 

industry leading results in the hands of trained operators 

who follow best practices in operation and technology 

deployment.

In 2003, Alberta revisited how they were 

managing water at a provincial level. This 

led to the creation of a water system 

management plan known as “Water for 

Life: Alberta’s strategy for sustainability.” 

The program looked at three topics: 

The topics of this report were broad, but 

they brought in SMART goals that made 

the program very successful and could be a 

model for other jurisdictions to copy. Of 

particular interest is the goal that leaders 

set to regionalize water systems where it 

made economic sense to do so. One of the 

provincial government’s first steps to 

achieve this goal was to set aside $400 

Million dollars for grant funding and then 

establish municipal grant criteria specific to 

regional water system development. 

Regionalization of Infrastructure 

We hear a lot of talk these days about 

“sustainable infrastructure” 

and “regionalization” . . . 

but what does it mean to the operator in the field and 

is there benefit to communities? 

1 

Safe, secure 

2 ecosystems 

3 

drinking water 

Healthy aquatic 

Reliable, quality 

water supplies for a 

sustainable economy 

As we move into a more restrained economic climate, the sharing of 

infrastructure and operating costs can make good economic sense for many 

communities. There may be economies of scale when one water or wastewater 

treatment facility is built and shared between several communities. Savings 

can be found for communities as they are sharing the costs of operations staff 

in the region and maintaining only one facility. 

Regionalization doesn’t always mean sharing infrastructure -- there is also the 

option of using one operator to manage several facilities. Most small water 

treatment facilities do not require an operator attending the 

process 24 hours a day. Information and monitoring is 

available through technology like SCADA (Supervisory 

Control and Data Acquisition) to allow an operator to 

monitor multiple facilities. 

Regionalization of water and wastewater systems can 

include possible benefits like improved source water and 

treatability, improved management of water storage needs 

and consistent water quality and monitoring. Other benefits 

may include a reduction in cost to refurbish infrastructure 

and dedicated staff that can focus their attention to 

providing good quality water and wastewater treatment. 

There are many regional water systems operating within the Province of 

Saskatchewan today. Some of our oldest water systems serving large industry 

were created out of economic need in the 1960’s and are still operating today. 

In the rural areas, we have numerous large rural pipeline utilities that purchase 

water from a central supplier and redistribute. 

Regionalization of water and wastewater systems is not a new idea, but it is an 

idea that is gaining more attention today because of economic strain caused by 

infrastructure replacement. By working together communities can make their 

limited infrastructure go further and created sustainable infrastructure for 

future generations. 

Dawn Dierker 

SaskWater

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Safety IS CARING 

I’m driving down the highway and it is an amazing day 

outside, all of the sudden I hear a loud crashing noise. 

When I look over and see that there has been an 

accident. On first reaction I drive over to see if there is 

anything I can help with, and if 911 needs to be called. 

You wait around to make sure everyone is ok and wait for the ambulance. You 

administer first aid to the drivers of the one vehicle, and then go help the other 

vehicles driver. You speak to each of them and realize that the young driver in the car 

that caused the accident was on the phone while driving. 

While it is illegal to be on your phone now, most drivers choose to not obey this law, 

no matter the consequences. With no thought of the safety of others in mind and a 

care in the world of what could happen. The 

penalties are not high enough for the crime 

that is committed when you take your life and 

the lives of others into your hands. The problem 

now is that most of society is dependent on our 

electronics and can’t go without looking or 

touching them for more than ten minutes. 

When it comes to driving and doing this, it 

becomes unsafe. Most people in life wake up get ready for work or whatever and go about their day 

without thinking of the things that could happen during the day. Safety is usually put on the back 

burner because the mindset of most people is that it won’t happen to me. But in fact those are the 

people that most incidents and accidents happen to the most. Just like the driver of the vehicle 

accident, she was on her phone and didn’t have a care in the world about the other drivers on the 

round or what kind of consequences could come from her doing this act. 

take two minutes our of our day and just 

STOP and THINK 

about ourselves and the safety of others 

I strongly suggest each and every one of us take two minutes out of our day and just stop and think 

about ourselves and the safety of other people. What you will notice is that by doing things differently 

we can change a lot of things in this world for the better. 

Sheldon Matton, Loraas Disposal

It’s in 

the Bag 

In 2006, the Swift Current Wastewater 

Treatment Plant opened its gates for the 

first time. It was one of many new plants 

popping up in western Canada in an 

effort to keep up with the growing 

demand to discharge less effluent water 

into Saskatchewan water bodies. In the 

twelve years since, the plant has 

operated extremely well and the 

efficiency of the process has provided 

excellent results in its final effluent. As in 

many processes, the first few years was a 

bit of a learning curve. None of the 

operators at the plant had even been in 

a wastewater facility, let alone run one. 

Using a general framework set out by 

Engineers at Stantec Ltd, and relying on 

advice from others in the industry, the 

staff managed to optimize the process 

and in some cases, improve on the 

original design to make it specific to 

Swift Current’s needs. The process was 

designed with, and currently operates 

with, preliminary treatment in the form 

of screenings and grit removal, 

secondary biological treatment, and 

tertiary treatment in the form of 

ultraviolet light disinfection. 

The glitch in the matrix was this: Swift 

Current never had a plan for disposal of 

dewatered sludge. This was and 

continues to be a hot topic of discussion 

throughout the wastewater industry. 

For the first few years, the City of Swift 

Current’s method of disposal was to 

truck the dewatered sludge to the 

landfill on the east side of the city. The 

plan was simple, but there were few 

issues and no adverse effects … until the 

summer of 2009. The piles of sludge had 

formed a crust, and in June the crust 

began to crack apart releasing some 

trapped gasses within the sludge piles. 

This was coupled by a rare easterly wind 

that pushed the odor towards the city 

instead of away from it. Let the fallout 

begin. This series of events brought a 

foul odor as well as a major insect 

problem to the eastern half of the city. 

The dewatering portion of the process 

was halted immediately and the wasted 

sludge from the treatment process was 

pumped to the nearby lagoon instead. 

The SCWWTP wastes approximately 75 

m3 of sludge from its process every day, 

however, the WWTP was built with the 

redundancy wherein the lagoon could 

act as a temporary sludge storage area if 

the centrifuge was undergoing service 

or out of operation. With all of this new 

sludge being directed to the lagoon 

system, a new disposal method was 

necessary. 

Over the course of the following 7 years, 

there were many options discussed and 

considered. A lagoon assessment was 

completed by Sask Alta in 2012 and a 

cross section was provided as to the 

areas of concern within the lagoon. The 

City of Swift Current contacted several 

different contractors for disposal 

options, and even went so far as to 

employ Stantec Ltd to get a short and 

long term solution to the task at hand. 

After much deliberation, the 

Environmental Services Division 

decided to employ GeoTube 

technology. 

“Geotubes® are a semi-permeable geo 

water in the sludge to escape while lea 

inside. They very effectively dry and co 

sludges (both municipal an 

www.lambourne.ca/what-we-do/lago 

A desludging company from British 

Columbia, Lambourne Environmental, 

was approached to provide their 

expertise in assisting the City of Swift 

Current. An initial lagoon survey was 

completed in August of 2017, this one 

not as comprehensive as the one in 

2012. This was because the area of 

concern was the western side of a 

primary lagoon, and not the lagoon 

system in its entirety. Once the survey 

was complete, a sludge sample was

taken to ensure the proper polymer 

would be selected to optimize the 

dewatering process once it had begun. 

As the sludge is being dredged from the 

lagoon bottom, an environmentally 

friendly polymer is added prior to the 

Geotube to promote sludge thickening. 

In this case, there were 2850 kg’s of a 

cationic ‘CA475’ polymer used. After all 

the preliminary groundwork was done, it 

was time to get the process underway. 

-textile tube that allows the 

ving the biosolids trapped 

solidate biosolids, silts, and 

d industrial).” - 

on-desludging/dewatering/ 

The dewatering crew was scheduled to 

be on site in late September. This gave 

City staff ample time to prepare a 

detailed ‘laydown area’ for the Geotubes. 

A location was chosen directly west of 

the lagoon bank, between the lagoon 

cell and the SC Creek. The laydown area 

was bladed to the proper grade to allow 

drainage of the decanted water, and the 

City crews were careful to build a berm 

around the perimeter so as not to allow 

any of the water to mistakenly run into 

the creek. To ensure there wouldn’t be

weeks, the WWTP Operators continued 

to pump out the trench on a regular 

basis, as dewatering continued well 

after the Lambourne crews had left. 

What do we do with them now? Well, 

as pointed out, they can be used again 

with little prep work to remove more 

sludge if desired. If left alone, and the 

solids are allowed to dry, there are 

different ways to dispose of the 

material. 

any seepage, a poly liner was put in place 

under the Geotubes as they were 

unrolled. A collection sump was dug at 

the northeast corner of the laydown area 

so that all decanted water could be 

easily pumped back into the lagoon. It 

had been determined during the initial 

survey that the City would need 6 

Geotubes, each 30m long x 11m in 

diameter. 

The Lambourne crew arrived on 

September 18th and lowered the 

dredge into the lagoon. Once all the 

pipe connections had been made and 

the polymer trailer was prepped, 

pumping began on September 21st. It 

was essential that the dredge not get 

too close to the WAS (waste activated 

sludge) line that runs out approximately 

50 m into the lagoon. Damage to this 

pipe could be disastrous in the ability to 

pump the WAS to the lagoon at all. The 

dredge ran along a cable secured on 

both sides of the lagoon, enabling the 

machine to stay true and not allow 

doubling up on areas that had already 

been pumped. Two separate crews ran 

12 hour shifts as a delay at their previous 

job had put them slightly behind 

schedule. Fortunately the mild weather 

held well into October and work was 

done in plenty of time to avoid winter 

temperatures. Two Geotubes were filled 

in succession, that meaning as one was 

“Once the biosolids have rested for a period of time, the Geotubes® are cut 

open and the dried material can be taken away and disposed. The 

Geotubes® can be left for as long as needed, even several years. Once the 

material is dried, landfills receive this dried product, as it will pass their 

paint-filter test requirement and can be used as top cover.” 

www.lambourne.ca/what-we-do/lagoon-desludging/dewatering/ 

filled to capacity, a second began filling 

as the first dewatered and slowly shrank 

in size. Then once the second was filled, 

the first was topped up. This was 

repeated several times until it was 

almost entirely sludge that filled the 

Geotubes. Once two were filled, the next 

two were filled, and so on until all six 

Geotubes were filled to capacity. During 

the month the sludge was being 

pumped, the Lambourne operators took 

several samples from the Geotubes to 

confirm that the quality was as 

expected. 

After 21 days (with several small 

shutdowns) the dredge had pumped 

45,668 cubic meters of sludge from the 

lagoon cell, and all six Geotubes were 

full. The estimated removal was 

approximately 913 dry tonnes of 

biosolids. By the time the last Geotube 

was filled, the first two had shrunk in size 

considerably due to effective dewatering. 

This reduction in tube size 

allows the same vessels to be reused at a 

time in the future if further dewatering is 

required. Each of the six units may have 

another 1/3 of their original space filled 

and dewatered will little or no prep work 

at all. Over the course of the next few 

It has been suggested that if the 

sludge is stabilized during its curing 

process, it can be added to compost 

and used as a soil conditioner due to its 

high organic content. 

As far as the City of Swift Current is 

concerned, further testing needs to be 

done before any decision can be made 

as to the use of the biosolids. After 

approximately 10 months, a core 

sample will be taken and analyzed for 

pathogens and nutrient quality. If no 

conclusive results are found, then the 

solids can remain in the Geotubes to 

dewater further. This began as a short 

term solution, and in reality is the first 

step in solving a bigger issue. But the 

first step has been taken, what the next 

step will be remains to be seen. Stay 

tuned. 

Tim Cox, Superintendent WWTP 

Swift Current, Saskatchewan 

What do 

we do with 

them now?

Tyler Klath 

Cell: (306) 203-3800 

TF: 1-888-554-0638 

tyler@ahmcelroy.com 

A.H. McElroy Sales & Service (Canada) Ltd. 

Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nunavut 

Website: www.ahmcelroy.com 

Since 1958 

Trevor Eden 

Western Canada Territory Manager 

trevor.eden@robar.ca 

ROBAR INDUSTRIES LTD. 

12945 - 78th Ave, Surrey, BC Canada V3W 2X8 

Tel 604.591.8811 Cell 778.836.7490 

1.800.663.6553 Fax 604.591.5288 

1.800.665.6553 

www.robarindustries.com 

Providing Complete Solutions for 

Water & Wastewater Challenges 

Dillon Petrucha, Technical Sales Manager 

Phone: 306-231-3688 

Toll-Free: 1-855-682-6125 

E: dpetrucha@sapphire-water.ca 

Box 3615 Highway #20 North 

Humboldt, SK S0K 2A0 

www.sapphire-water.ca 

epgsaskatoon@EPGPipe.com 

Engineered Pipe Group 

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LISA VAN ELSAKKER 

Sales Representative 

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503 47th Street East 

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 

Canada, S7K 5B5 

Tel: (306) 242-6788 

Fax: (306) 242-5089 

Cell: (306) 229-5208 

TF: (800) 667-3002 

Email: lvanelsakker@ocor.ca 

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3807 Arthur Rose Ave. 

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PH. (306) 242-4155 

Direct Line (306) 651-4782 

Cel. (306) 222-2114 

Fax. (306) 242-6020 

• Manhole Restoration 

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Adam Speed 

Microfiltration/ 

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Ph: (780)460-8433 Fax (780)418-2227 

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Water Softeners and 

Specialty Metals Removal 

On-Site Chlorine 

Generation 

Manufacturer Representatives For Quality Water Treatment Equipment 


David Tidy 

Senior Regional Sales Manager 

Metcon Sales & Engineering Ltd. 

15 Connie Crescent, Unit 3 

Concord, Ontario L4K 1L3 

P 905.738.2355 x 230 

M 416.346.1764 

F 905.738.5520 

E davidt@metconeng.com 

W www.metconeng.com 

Water and Wastewater Products 

CORIX Water Products provides quality service and solutions 

from waterworks and HDPE supplies to water meters, 

engineered products, and packaged systems. 

Visit us in booth 96 at the SWWA Tradeshow. 

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Alex McGregor 

Territory Manager - Northern Alberta and Saskatchewan 

amcgregor@neptunetg.com 

Edmonton, Alberta 

780-999-1825 

www.neptunetg.com 

Established in 1939 

GENE WALTERSON 

Director/Advisor 

Industrial Composite 

Sales 

Commercial & Industrial Services Ltd. 

1035 Mission Street 

Winnipeg, Manitoba R2J 0A4 

P: (204) 233-0671 

C: (204) 981-2200 

F: (204) 233-6938 

gene@carlsonindustrial.ca 

www.carlsonindustrial.ca 

Kyle Monette 

Director of Sales, Manitoba/Saskatchewan 

kylem@atstraffic.ca 

C 306.536.4456 T 306.525.0548 

F 306.565.8808 

410 A Henderson Drive 

Regina, SK S4N 5W9 

atstraffic.ca | Since 1966 

ADVERTISING •

1500 QUEBEC AVENUE 

SASKATOON, SK S7K 1V7 

ISO REGISTERED 

P 800.387.7503 

F 888.281.8109 

24 HR EMERGENCY 306.664.2522 

orders@cleartech.ca 

P.O. Box 92173 

RPO Meadowbrook 

Edmonton, AB 

T6T 1N1 

GLEN GRUNDBERG 

Regional Manager - Western Canada 

Cell: 780-910-1717 

Fax: 780-449-5300 

Glen@densona-ca.com 

www.densona.com 

NEVER WORRY 

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Measurement and Control Equipment 

CORIX Control Solutions provides measurement and control 

equipment to the oil, gas, industrial, and municipal market 

sectors in Western Canada. 

Visit us in booth 95 at the SWWA Tradeshow. 

www.corixcontrolsolutions.com 


Matthew Martin 

Branch Manager 

FABCO PLASTICS SASKATOON LIMITED 

Plastics For Today’s Industry 

mmartin@fabcoplastics.com 

3926 Arthur Rose Avenue 

Saskatoon, SK 

Canada S7P 0C9 

Tel: 306.955.6005 

Cell: 306.280.7170

Keith MacCharles 

Email: keith@airmastersales.com 

P: (204) 944-7446 C: (204) 781-5199 F: (204) 632-9747 

Toll Free: 1-800-788-6805 

400 Keewatin St. Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 2R9 

www.airmastersigns.com 

AL STANLEY 

SALES REPRESENTATIVE 

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9-30321 Fraser Highway 

ABBOTSFORD, BC V4X 1T3 

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FAX: 604-857-9674 

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ADVERTISING •

ClearTech Introduces the Lovibond PVT 

Series of Process Turbidimeters in Canada 

ADVERTORIAL 

ClearTech is the Canadian factory authorized 

service centre and stocking distributor for 

the new Lovibond PVT Series of Process 

Turbidimeters in Canada. Lovibond, a leading 

manufacturer of water analysis products 

designed these turbidimeters to monitor 

the low levels of turbidity found in drinking 

water. The PVT Series received US EPA 

approval as listed the USA Federal Register / 

Vol 82 / No. 143, in section 40 CFR 141.74(a) 

(1), published on Thursday, July 27, 2017. 

“This is a big milestone,” says Michael Sadar, 

Lovibond’s Research and Develop Manager. 

“We worked hard to develop a system that 

was not only user friendly, but that is able 

to achieve the level of accuracy that the 

operators as well as the regulators expect 

from a system like this. We’re really proud of 

what we were able to accomplish, and we 

think that operators are really going to like 

the simplicity of the overall design of the 

instrument as well as the data management 

tools that the mobile interface provides.” 

Wherever there’s water 

With an emphasis on simplifying processes, 

data management, and reducing water 

usage, the design of the PTV Series 

considered every aspect of process turbidity 

workflow. The system is configurable to offer 

operators a variety of options including 

integrated flow indication and bi-directional 

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sensor and a mobile device. Additional 

accessories to assist with installation, sample 

management and routine procedures such as 

calibrations and cleanings are also available. 

As a stocking distributor and factory 

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To order and for more information about 

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For more about ClearTech’s commitment to 

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Regional/Contract (R/C) Operator Program 

The Regional/Contract (R/C) Program will assist in 

certification for smaller communities while still allowing them 

to meet the health and safety objectives of mandatory 

certification contained within The Waterworks and Sewage 

Works Regulations. 

Fact sheet EPB 286 Regional/Contact Operator Program is 

available in the Drinking Water Information Binder on 

SaskH20 website. Factsheet includes a template for signed 

agreement between community and R/C Operator. 

REGIONAL/CONTRACT OPERATOR (R/C) 

Obtaining the services of a R/C Operator is an option for Small 

System, Class-1 or Class-2 facilities. Many small communities 

have Class-1 systems or Small Systems. There are small 

communities, with a population of fewer than 100 people 

that have Class-2 surface water treatment plants. The R/C 

Operator would be a certified operator working for a nearby 

community who would fit into a number of scenarios: 

• be the certified operator overseeing the local 

uncertified operator(s); 

• be the certified operator performing the work, with no 

local uncertified operator; 

• be the certified operator working as a Relief Operator to 

take the place of the main operator or the operator for 

vacation, weekends, illness, after-hours, etc.; or 

• be an Independent Regional Operator, namely, an 

operator without a home community acting as a 

certified operator for a number of communities that 

may or may not have their own uncertified operator on 

staff. 

When a R/C Operator is overseeing a local uncertified 

operator doing the routine works, the R/C Operator may not 

perform the day-to-day operating tasks (including sampling) 

and may not be on site every day. The local uncertified 

operator must be able, at minimum, to perform the required 

operations, sampling, testing and record keeping. In case of 

any system problems, the local uncertified operator must be 

available as soon as possible and the R/C Operator must be on 

site within a reasonable agreed upon time (i.e. four hours 

maximum) of call-out. 

If there were no local uncertified operator, then the R/C 

Operator must do the required work and be on site as often 

as required to perform this work. 

The R/C Relief Operator must meet certification criteria and 

perform job duties in a similar manner, while taking over from 

the regular certified operator on weekends, vacation or sick 

time. The working time and duties would be according to the 

signed agreement. 

In any case, the R/C Operator and R/C Relief Operator must 

maintain certification, including obtaining CEU (continuing 

education unit) for renewal in categories and at levels that are 

equal to or higher than the highest facility that they are 

overseeing. 

INDEPENDENT REGIONAL/CONTRACT 

OPERATOR 

An alternative concept is one of an Independent R/C Operator 

who does not have a home facility and is to be a R/C Operator 

or R/C Relief Operator. This operator must be certified at the 

highest level of the facilities being overseen and, likely, the 

contracted communities would have an uncertified worker 

performing day-to-day work at the facility and in the 

community. The Independent Regional Operator would only 

perform work as contracted in relation to the water treatment 

plant, the distribution system, the collection system and the 

wastewater treatment system. 

The following is for consideration: 

• being not necessarily tied to a particular facility or 

community, means the operator has more time to go to 

the contracted communities and could have more 

facilities (i.e. eight) under supervision. The operator 

could potentially visit one facility per day (four per 

week, allowing one day per week office time), visit the 

waterworks, review the operation and perform 

duplicate water quality tests with the on-site operator. 

Each facility would be visited every two weeks on a 

regular basis. 

• it is suggested this operator should be on site within a 

reasonable agreed-upon time of the call (i.e. four hours 

maximum). 

• the duties and responsibilities of the operator would be 

as previously indicated or as agreed upon by the 

community and the particular Regional Operator. 

The guiding principle is the Independent R/C Operator or 

Independent R/C /Relief Operator must do whatever is 

required to ensure all the conditions stated in the Permit of 

the specific works and the regulations are met at all times. 

Kelly Neuert, Water Security Agency

What 

What 

a 

a 

difference 5 

difference 

years makes: 

Celebrating 

5 years 

Clean makes: Water 

for Celebrating Schools Clean 

Water for Schools 

WaterAid/Behailu Shiferaw 

Meet Prudence. She is 13 years old and 

attends school at St. Theresa’s Girls’ 

Primary School in Nairobi. Kenya. 

St. Theresa’s Girls’ Primary School is 

located at the intersection of three of 

the most impoverished communities in Nairobi – the 

infamous slums of Eastleigh, Mathare and Pangani. 

St. Theresa’s used to have access to water only once 

or twice a week and had toilets that were dirty and 

unusable. During the evening, when the competition 

from big businesses and upper-stream areas decreased, 

 

the school. By that time, however, the school would 

be closed and the water was not useful for students 

or teachers. 

In 2015, WaterAid Canada, along with our partner 

KWAHO, installed a water holding tank that 

substantially improved the school water supply by 

providing valuable water storage for times when 

 

renovating the school’s existing toilets and ensuring 

a toilet is available for each class. 

Today, St. Theresa’s school is a safe space for children, 

providing a clean environment they can be proud of, 

where they are free to focus on learning an d where 

they can play. 

“Then the tank came and now even if there 

is no water in the area, our school will have 

some water to drink, or wash with. So there is 

change,” said Prudence. “The moment we step 

into the compound, we leave our backgrounds 

behind and we just enjoy this clean, safe 

environment. Personally, being able to walk 

around in a comfortable environment is very 

important to me. And I am happy to make sure 

that it stays that way.” 

Every child, no matter where they are in the world, has 

the right to a quality education and equal learning 

opportunities. But not every child has the opportunity 

to attend school in a safe and healthy environment. 

Globally, three of every 10 schools do not have clean 

water or adequate toilets. This exposes millions of 

children to deadly diseases, denying them a productive, 

safe education. 

For the past 5 years, WaterAid Canada has been 

 

in Kenya, one school at a time! Our Clean Water for 

Schools Program 

Canada through Global Affairs Canada and WaterAid’s 

generous supporters, , is like now the complete. Saskatchewan While Water the work & 

may Waste be Water done, Association, the impact of is that now work complete. goes on While and the will 

work be felt may for generations be done, the to impact come. of that work goes on and 

will be felt for generations to come. 

2 

WATERDROPS | FALL 2017

Through the Clean Water For Schools 

Program, WaterAid successfully reached: 

• 170 schools 

• Over 120,000 students and 

teachers in Uganda, Kenya 

and Ethiopia 

Through the engagement and collaboration 

of community members, senior school staff 

 

worked, we: 

WaterAid/James Kiyimba 

Developed childfriendly 

hygiene and 

toilet facilities that 

respect physical and 

mental developmental 

differences of students 

at all ages 

Developed genderappropriate 

hygiene 

and toilet facilities 

so girls and female 

teachers can practice 

effective menstrual 

hygiene management 

in safe and private 

environments. 

WaterAid/Behailu Shiferaw 


Engaged children as 

agents of change, 

building their 

 

encouraging them to 

spread the message 

about good hygiene 

at home and in their 

communities. 


Thanks to the incredible commitment and 

Thanks to your incredible commitment and 

generosity of the Saskatchewan Water & Waste 

generosity along our 5 year journey, communities 

Water Association and their members, communities 

 

in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda can enjoy and 

from healthier school environments where children 

benet from healthier school environments where 

can learn, thrive and start preparing for their future. 

children can learn, thrive and start preparing for 

their 

Together 

future. 

we’re changing what’s normal for millions 

of people around the world. 

Together were changing what’s normal for millions 

of people around the world. 

Taught students about 

the importance of 

hygiene using drama, 

music, and art. 

YOUR WATERAID CANADA MAGAZINE 3

A Back snapshot to school of schools 

around the world 

Many As children of us are pack familiar their bags with and 

the head school back to routine school, from WaterAid our own 

lives is sharing however a snapshot take a look of at a 

few experiences other classroom from classrooms experiences 

from across across the world. the world. 

WaterAid/Chileshe Chanda 

Maritha, 15, from Zambia, said: 

“I go to school as often as I can, but sometimes I 

miss it for two weeks continuously as I spend a lot of 

time collecting water and harvesting crops. School is 

important because, with education one stands a better 

 

don’t stay in school, I am likely to be married off.” 

From Uganda to Canada, the UK to Zambia, these 

photos and stories reveal the similarities in school life 

across the globe as well as the stark differences and 

inequalities that exist in the school environment, as well 

as in opportunities for the students. 

One in ten children have no clean water at home, 

and girls in particular spend hours walking to collect 

water, leaving little time for education, keeping them 

trapped in poverty and stopping them from reaching 

their potential. 

Drinking dirty water causes sickness, which can be 

deadly. Even if children recover, they still miss valuable 

school-time. As many as 443 million school days are lost 

every year due to water-related illnesses. 

Girls often skip school when they start their period, or 

drop out altogether, if there are no decent toilets or space 

to wash themselves and stay clean and healthy. It also 

 

prefer to work in places where there is water and toilets. 

With access to clean water, decent toilets and basic 

hygiene, going back to school is a very different 

experience. Children can be children and focus on their 

studies so they can achieve their dreams. 

The presence of water, toilets and hygiene in 

schools is as vital as having pens and books for 

students. Access to all three ensure a healthier 

learning environment, enabling every girl and every 

boy, no matter where they live, to gain an education 

and set a foundation for a more prosperous future. 

4 

WATERDROPS | FALL 2017

WaterAid/Sibtain Haider 

Zakir is 10 and his school in Pakistan has no access 

to water or toilets. 

 

10 to 15 minutes to walk there. Our clothes and shoes 

get dirty, so we sometimes have to go home to change 

our clothes. It’s not right; we should have proper toilets 

in our school.” 

WaterAid/Dennis Lupenga 

Tryness, 26, is a school teacher at Kambira 

Primary School in Malawi, said: 

“To collect water, we used to wake up around 3am. This 

impacted on our ability to teach well as we were tired. 

Also, we used to have a lot of diarrhoea cases, especially 

amongst our young pupils. Teachers left for another 

school but I told myself to stay a little longer. The 

 

borehole, my life changed for the better.” 

WaterAid/Ernest Randriarimalala 

Jean is 13, and from Madagascar. WaterAid installed 

a gravity-fed water system and a school toilet block 

in his community. 

“I used to collect dirty water for as long as I can remember. 

But now, villagers, teachers and pupils are no longer 

suffering because we have clean water and a nice toilet 

block. I am responsible for helping look after the school’s 

water, sanitation and hygiene facilities; that’s why they call 

me ‘President’. When I am older, I want to be a teacher.” 

WaterAid/Mothership Photography 

Ella is 11. and This attends year she Grade will attend 6 a Grade 6 

at school a school in Ottawa, in Ottawa, Canada. Canada. 

“My favourite part of school is all my friends. I worry 

the most about not getting good grades. I do not feel 

anything affects my ability to get a good education 

because we are lucky to live in such a great country.” 

WaterAid/Brendan Foster 

Georgine, 12, from the UK, said 

“Girls can be undermined in education and sports; but 

 

believe we can do whatever we want.” London, UK. 

YOUR WATERAID CANADA MAGAZINE 5

World Water Day 2018 

WATER – the single most important thing for life to survive, the “Driving force of 

all nature”, and as a group of young kids found out on March 22 in Wynyard this 

past World Water Day there is no water without the operators. 

Wynyard is a town with just under 2000 persons. Wynyard has a lot of features to 

their community a huge part of which is the operators who run the water, one of 

which, DJ, was excited to do a presentation on water for the Wynyard Elementary 

Schools Environment Group. 

Dj started simple with teaching the basics: 

Where does our water come from? 

How does it get there? 

What types of water are there? 

How much water do we have? 

She then went on to talk about each of these points and then took it a step 

further by showing the children the Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert water 

plants and explaining the process of where they get there water and the type of 

water they use. Dj is a resourceful woman and found a You Tube video of SWWA 

member Andy Busse doing a video on the Prince Albert water 

plant and she utilized the video for the presentation. 

You can access the video link here 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOpri5axt0k 

Dj did a fantastic job of covering not just how her community 

sources and creates drinking water but also even updated the 

presentation the morning of to include the latest numbers from 

WaterAid Canada and the information on the water gap. 

You can view the WaterAid video here 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5WuVDu9_U0

The children were told how often young children like 

themselves have to miss school to get water for their family 

and how because we are very blessed here in Canada and as 

operators we understand the importance of water we try to 

give back through charities that help provide access to clean 

water and sanitation. Now most children like the idea of 

missing school a little bit these children though are part of the 

environment group and you can see with how they listened 

and responded with questions that they care about others 

not having access to clean water, having to miss school, and 

not having washrooms to use. 

The children were given a chance to test the knowledge from 

the presentation and did a fantastic job the listening skills 

were really in top form during the presentation. They were 

curious about the props brought along and were all walked 

through how the various instruments were used and samples 

taken. Many asked questions and they were all interested in 

what was being said. Who knows these children may be part 

of the water industry workforce in the next 10-12 years. As 

explained to them the opportunities in water are endless and 

it is a great way to stay in the community you love if you 

should choose. 

Each child and teacher walked away with a hat and as you can 

see from the picture of the smiling faces they loved them. It 

was an amazing experience to see the interaction of the 

children with Dj as she presented and just how interested 

they were in learning more about the world of water. I believe 

that the group will be taking a water plant tour in the near 

future. 

World Water Week and World Water Day are all about sharing 

how water has impacted your life for Dj it has allowed her to 

stay in a community she loves and is very actively involved in 

and given her a job that she takes pride in doing well. Now she 

has a group of children who she may one day be training to 

do the job she is doing. You never know how you can impact 

someone with your words and actions. Listening to Dj talk it is 

very clear that she is passionate about her job and that she 

believes in making a difference. 

On behalf of the SWWA, Thank you to Dj Peterson and the 

Town of Wynyard for allowing DJ to have the time off her busy 

work day to do the presentation, thank you to all the children 

who attended along with the teachers 

and the Wynyard Elementary 

School for allowing us to 

take photos and for 

being part of the best 

way we at SWWA can 

think of to celebrate 

World Water 

Day! 

SWWA MISSION: The objective of the 

Association is to provide an opportunity for education, 

training and skill enhancement to the staff involved in 

the day to day operation and maintenance of water and 

wastewater systems. 

The SWWA fulfills this mission by offering CEU 

courses for all workshops, and by continuing to offer 

1.2 CEU’s for those who meet requirements at the 

SWWA Annual Conference. The SWWA is a advocate of 

networking and offers networking events at the annual 

conference and through the Annual golf tournament. 

E. office@swwa.ca | P. 306.668.1278 | www.swwa.ca

Hi, my name is Lee Reinhart 

and I am an Environmental 

Project Officer (EPO) for the 

Environmental & Municipal 

Management Services Division 

of the Water Security 

Agency working as a regulator 

of municipal and privatelyowned 

waterworks and 

sewage works systems in the 

area around Saskatoon. The 

role focuses mainly on 

permitting, regulating and 

inspecting these systems to 

ensure public health and 

safety and protection of the 

environment according to the 

Environmental Management 

and Protection Act, 2010 and 

The Waterworks and Sewage 

Works Regulations. 

After working for many years with the 

Town of Kindersley, in the water 

treatment plant, an opportunity 

presented itself to make a move to 

work for the provincial government 

with the Saskatchewan Ministry of 

Environment’s Municipal Branch. This 

turned out to be a great move that has 

been a challenging and rewarding 

change from working as an operator. 

I worked as a water treatment plant 

operator for over 20 years and have 

been an EPO, with Environment and 

Water Security Agency, for almost 12 

years now. 

I have had many mentors along this 

journey but it was my father that 

originally got me into the role as an 

operator, which was not what I had 

planned for my future at the time. My 

father was good role model and 

taught me so many things both 

professionally and personally which I 

strive to continue to practice. Working 

as an EPO is a team effort and I have 

been lucky to work both for and with 

many very knowledgeable individuals 

that have taught me a lot along the 

way. 

A very rewarding, and enjoyable, part of the job is 

getting to work with the operators, and the 

communities, providing technical assistance and 

ensuring their facilities achieve the best possible 

quality of drinking water and wastewater effluent. 

Also getting to work with other ministries and 

engineering consultants, providing advice on 

system expansions, upgrades and other projects. It 

is also rewarding to work with such a great group 

of individuals both within our local office and 

throughout the agency. 

The least rewarding part may be the work 

load/demand and trying to ensure that everything 

is completed according to the timelines given. 

To someone that may be thinking of this field as a 

potential job opportunity, it is a rewarding career 

and at the end of the day, you’ll know that you are 

doing your best to ensure communities have safe 

drinking water and that wastewater is treated to 

standards that will protect the environment. For 

those who may be working in a field and realize it 

is not the right fit, I urge you to look into a career in 

the water industry. I started out with the ambition 

of being a engineer and once I began pursuing the 

degree I realized it was not the right fit for me and 

well to make a long story short here I am. 

My future plans, at least for now, are to continue 

what I am currently doing and to help out with 

new employees that embark on this endeavor and 

then – retirement is looking better every day (but 

seems to be so far away). 

To combat the stress of the job, I like to try and 

keep active by walking, playing squash and golf, 

doing karate, skiing and hanging out with friends 

or reading. I enjoy spending time with my children 

and watching them partake in their many 

activities. 

I am also a very big music buff and enjoy going to 

concerts and just listening to many types of music 

but am an “old rocker” at heart. 

MEMBER PROFILE 

LEE REINHART 

Environmental Project Officer (EPO) for the 

Environmental & Municipal Management Services 

Division of the Water Security Agency

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www.grundfos.ca

WESTERN CANADA WATER ENVIRONMENT 

ASSOCIATION (WCWEA) 

FlushABLES 

I went to visit a friend and his family on a farm. The 

toddler in the family decided that the best place for 

the entire toilet paper roll was in the toilet. The toilet 

paper roll swells to almost double in size when 

immersed in water. 

On a separate occasion, I flushed the toilet and the 

bowl filled with water. The toilet clog could not be 

cleared by snaking. After considerable work including 

pailing out the wastewater from the bowl and removal 

of the toilet, a plastic dinosaur was retrieved from the 

toilet trap. We all know that not all things are flushable 

even though a toddler will try experiments to debunk 

that notion. 

There are numerous items on the market that profess to be flushable. The list of household 

products include, but are not limited to, diaper liners, wipes, kitty litter, diapers, paper 

towels, facial tissue, feminine products, bandages, floss, cotton swabs/balls, and the list goes 

on. Once flushed down the drain these items are out of sight, but far from out of mind. 

Those items cause serious problems with clogged sewers. The flushable label is 

misleading. Most of these products contain plastics and synthetics intended to absorb. For 

example, some liners and wipes can absorb up to ten times their volume. Flushables do not 

breakdown, disintegrate, or biodegrade like toilet paper which creates significant 

challenges for wastewater treatment. A YouTube video from Spokane elaborates on the 

challenges of flushing household products 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLTVqkXVvNk. 

The wastewater system will experience 

clogging which will take considerable work 

to remove the flushables. The increased cost 

of maintaining the wastewater system will 

most likely be recovered on the utility bill. 

This is preventable. 

The toilet is not a trash can and should only 

be used for toilet paper, human waste, and 

water. Keep the dinosaurs out of the toilet! 

a plastic 

dinosaur 

is not 

flushable 

Timo Jansen 

WCWEA Delegate

The 

Operator Certification Board 

 

AnswersYour 

 

Questions 

 

 

 

What is the OCB? 

The Operator Certification Board (OCB) was created in 2000 

to certify Water Operators in Saskatchewan. We are 

mandated by the Water Security Agency (WSA) and we 

follow The Environmental Management and Protection Act, 

2010. 

 

+ 

 

"$$ 

 

What do I need to become a certified Water Operator? 

You will need a completed application form, with experience 

pages filled out and signed by your supervisor, a copy of 

your water certification exam marks with a passing grade of 

70%, a copy of your high school education requirement and 

a $150.00 application fee. All documentation must be 

submitted to the office by the submission deadline. 

 

 

What are the 

education 

requirements for 

certification? 

Each level of 

certification requires 

certain education 

requirements: 

} 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who do I need to sign the experience 

+ 

pages 

 

on my 

 

How do I 

 

know 

 

when 

 

to 

 

renew 

 

my 

 

certification? 

+! 

application form? 

 

Renewal 

 

forms are mailed to Operators, usually 2 to 3 

Your direct supervisor or employer must sign and date your months before your renewal date. If your renewal date is 

experience pages. You are not allowed 

 

to sign 

 

your 

 

own approaching 

 

and you have not received your notice, you can 

pages. 

5 

download 

 

the 

 

renewal 

 

form 

 

from 

 

our website: 

 

saskocb.ca 

 

 

What is the cost for certification? 

What do I need to renew my certification? 

It costs $150.00 to certify and $150.00 every two (2) year You will need the renewal fee of $150.00 and one (1) 

renewal period. There is no charge for upgrades to your Continuing Education Unit (CEU) every two (2) +! year renewal 

certification. 

period. You cannot use the same CEU's for two consecutive 

renewal periods. All documentation must be submitted to 

What payment options are available? 

the office by the submission deadline. 

Cheque, money order and credit card payments are 

accepted by the OCB. You can download the credit card What do I need to upgrade my certification? 

authorization form here: saskocb.ca + You must submit a completed upgrade application form 

and a copy of your exam results for the certification you are 

What is the term of my certification? applying for. There is no charge for upgrades. All 

Your certification is valid for two (2) years. 

documentation must be submitted to the office by the 

submission deadline.

What is Direct Responsible Charge? 

Direct Responsible Charge (DRC) is 

required for Operators applying for 

certification at Level 3 and 4. DRC is 

gained when the Operator has control of 

the decision making processes of the 

facility in which they work. 

What is Operator in Training? 

An Operator in Training (OIT) certification 

allows an operator, who does not meet all 

of the certification requirements, to 

become temporarily certified. OIT does 

meet your permit to operation 

requirements. Generally OIT certification 

is only given out to Level 1 and 2 

classifications. 

Where do I find the Board meeting 

dates and submission deadlines? 

All meeting dates and deadlines are listed 

on our website – www.saskocb.ca 

How do I submit my documents to the 

OCB office? 

Email, fax or Canada Post mail are all 

accepted ways to submit your 

documents to the OCB. 

How do I contact the OCB? 

Saskatchewan Operator 

Certification Board 

c/o Mail Room 

3211 Albert Street 

Regina, SK S4S 5W6 

Reverse ~ Osmosis 

Email – info@saskocb.ca 

Phone – 306-789-3430 

Fax – 306-789-3429 

Website – www.saskocb.ca 

& 

Q A

Golf2018 

SWWA 2018 Golf Tournament 

Imagine this it is June 1 and all around you the sky is pouring out rain, 

not looking to favourably for the next day’s golf tournament. The wind 

is strong and cold and hopes of +23 are slowly dying; then later that 

night the wind calms down and the rain stops, and you dare to dream 

that the weather is going to be as wonderful as promised. 

June 2 has arrived and its only slightly chilly at +8 with wind and 

bonus the rain clouds are no longer in the sky. As the morning moves 

on and tee off has arrived it is actually quite warm with the warm sun 

shining down. Another cold, chilly rainy day has been diverted and by 

mid-afternoon jackets are coming off. 

We had some good laughs at the tournament mostly around the 

Mueller hole. For those of you not in attendance we had to put on 

work gloves, Safety glasses that weirdly enough turned the entire 

world green and the golf ball became way easier to see, and we had to 

draw a ball from the bucket that told us which club to tee off with. 

A huge thank you to Cleartech for sponsoring the beverage cart and 

to Rynette and Susan for driving the cart. Thank you to all those who 

sponsored a hole and to all 41 golfers who attended the tournament 

in Swift and thank you to Wade Shutko the SWWA supplier rep for all 

his work. To everyone who helped make this another tournament to 

remember we thank you.

Golf

Easy 

as... 

1 

to access your account 

go to www.swwa.ca 

2click onLOGIN 

3 

Is your SWWA information 

up to 

date? 

in the top right corner 

go to where 

yourname 

displays 

in the top right corner and 

click on it – it will take you 

to your membership 

account. Here you can 

change your information so 

that it is up to date. 

The WEBSITE is 

always the BEST 

WAY to find out 

about everything 

SWWA and the 

information is 

updated as it 

changes or 

becomes 

available. 

It is a new age at SWWA and with going digital not only have we reduced our costs but we have 

also reduced our footprint on the environment. Since we are no longer printing the Pipeline we 

are utilizing new tools to let you know about events and networking opportunities with SWWA. 

One of these new tools is our email system through Constant Contact. 

We try not to bombard with emails but at the same time we are trying to make sure that you 

have all the latest information at your fingertips at all times. As a SWWA member your email 

address is one of the ways we have to reach you. If your email address registered with the 

office is not the best email to reach you please login to your account through the website and 

update it as needed. 

Opting out means 

you DO NOT 

receive any 

information at all! 

In the past we have had a lot of feedback on how many do not realize that conference 

registration is open or that various workshops are taking place. This year we have opened 

conference registration as of February 1. 

You can opt out at any time to not receive notification of SWWA events through our use of 

constant contact just be aware that opting out will mean you will not receive any 

information from SWWA and that it will be 100% up to you to make sure you are checking 

the website so you are in the know about everything SWWA.

Invasive Specie 

Giant “goldfish” who have the ability to clone themselves have been spotted in 

Saskatchewan. Russian Carp look similar to a giant goldfish but are considered to be 

an aquatic invasive species in Canada. Their reproductive process is called 

gynogenesis and it has made them prolific breeders. 

Gynogenesis is a special form of sexual reproduction in which 

insemination is necessary but the head of the sperm penetrating 

into the ovum does not transform into male pronucleus; and 

the gynogenetic embryo develops at the expense of the 

ovum nucleus only. 

Basically, the carp are clones of the mother. 

So How did they 

get to Canada? 

Prussian carp have been spotted sporadically in 

western Saskatchewan for the last few years but those 

were always one-off situations. 

In May, hundreds of Prussian carp were found dead when the ice 

disappeared from Stockwell Lake. 

Chris Somers is a biology professor and the University of Regina and he told CBC News 

“When you see hundreds of fish that are winter-killed, it usually means 

there’s probably thousands that are actually out there.” 

The fish is typically found in Eastern Europe and Asia. They were first spotted in Alberta waters in the mid-2000s, Somers said. 

The mysterious thing is that no one has been able to pinpoint how they got into prairie waters. One theory is that one 

was a pet and got mixed in with a goldfish and was part of a pet release. 

Anglers asked NOT to release! 

The fish are about five or six pounds and grow to be 

about 35 centimetres long. 

They are said to be edible, but likely won’t fit 

the North American palate. 

The fish tend to take over the habitats they enter 

and edge out native species, so fishermen are 

being asked to kill the carp if they reel any in.

s 

Saskatchewan government 

cracking down on pesky 

zebra mussels 

As reported by CBC News on June 7, 2018 

Environment Minister Herb Cox says guards are 

watching for contaminated boats entering Sask. 

Saskatchewan’s environment minister says the province 

is cracking down on boats which may be travelling to 

the province with unsavoury critters clinging to them. 

Herb Cox, Saskatchewan’s environment minister, said 

zebra mussels and quagga mussels are a huge problem 

in other provinces, especially in the Great Lakes region. 

They can disrupt ecosystems and clog water intake 

systems. 

Cox said border guards are watching for contaminated 

boats entering the province. 

“One boat that came in from Alberta — we had a tip 

from Alberta that it was coming in,” Cox said. “It was 

inspected in the Meadow Lake area — actually, it was a 

boat from Ontario originally — and it was headed to 

Russell Lake here in Saskatchewan.” 

The province decontaminated that boat with one of 

two mobile units, according to Cox. 

Conservation officers in Saskatchewan are trained to 

inspect boats for invasive species, such as zebra 

mussels. 

“Fourteen of our officers are 

trained to run the 

decontamination units,” Cox said. 

“They have been effective 

this summer already. 

Prior to the fishing 

season starting, we 

have intercepted and 

decontaminated two or 

three boats already.” 

Cox said the best way to 

prevent the invasive species 

coming into Saskatchewan is for 

people to voluntarily have their boats 

inspected before they re-enter the province. 

The government said it is spending more than $100,000 

extra this year on fighting the invasive species. 

In 2015-16, the province spent $264,000. In 2016-17, it is 

expecting to spend $365,000, which is also dependant on the 

amount of decontaminations required. 

There has also been a $15,000 increase on advertising 

campaigns. The province said it is spending $75,000 this year.

You Are 

Invited 

to the 

Annual 

37th 

SWWA 

CONFERENCE & TRADESHOW 

NOVEMBER 

6 - 8 /2018 

x 

Workshops and Technical Sessions: 

Rynette Moore-Guillaume 

Rynette.Moore@saskwater.com 

Tradeshow and Conference Information: 

Calle Behnke – office@swwa.ca 

login Early Bird Conference Registration x - OPEN NOW! 

x 

SWWA 

Golf Tournament 2019 

June 1 Nipawin SK 

don’t miss 

the fun 

- book today!

MEMBER PROFILE 

DERRICK HOEHN 

Senior Environmental Project Officer 

Water Security Agency, Melville Region 

What led you into your current field? Was it 

planned or a detour? 

I started out as a summer student working for my 

hometown. Initially it was cutting grass but evolved 

to include weekend checks of both the water and 

wastewater systems. In grade 12, approximately 3 

months away from graduating, the maintenance man 

required surgery, in which I took over for the daily 

duties of the community until I started SIAST (Now 

SaskPoly Tech.) that fall. It was definitely a detour, as I 

initially applied for the Automotive Technician 

program but happened to hear back from the Water 

Resources Program first. 

How long have you been in the industry? 

Approx. 20 years (directly/ indirectly) 

What type of education do you currently hold? 

Post Secondary Diploma – Water 

Resources Engineering Technology 

Is there someone who has been a mentor to you 

in your professional life and personal life and 

why? 

My Parents & Grandparents are/were definitely 

mentors in my personal life teaching me that with a 

lot of hard work and determination you can succeed 

in anything you put your mind too. In regards to my 

professional life, there are too many to mention 

throughout my employment and I am honored that 

they took the time to offer help and insight. 

What is the most rewarding part of your job? What is the least 

rewarding? 

The most rewarding part of my job is being a part of and seeing 

communities succeed with much needed upgrades. The least 

rewarding part is enforcing compliance on communities. 

If you could give advice to someone looking to get into the 

industry or to a student looking into a future career what would 

you say? 

Don’t be narrow sighted on exactly what you want to do with your 

life. Opportunities come in all directions. 

What ways do you currently incorporate to help combat stress 

and overwork? 

Family & Hobbies (ex. Fishing, hunting, camping, home brewing, 

metal and wood working / custom fabrication) 

What is your future plans for your career? 

Time will tell… 

New Game Available! 

. . . train your kids about the importance of water, your 

pipes and how to treat these resources. 

Do you have schools touring 

your facility? 

You can download and distribute these to the groups or 

point them to the WEF website for more options. 

A game by American Water Works Association and Water Environment Federation 

DELIVERING SAFE 

AND 

CLEAN WATER 

IS A BIG DEAL! 

Almost everything we do requires water 

but did you know there’s only a set amount of water 

on our planet? It’s up to all of us to work together to 

make sure we protect our water and use it responsibly, 

so that it’s available now and way into the future. 

Our friends in the water sector are always working to 

make sure that we have the safest and cleanest water 

possible. They treat our water and wastewater and 

maintain the systems that make it possible for us to 

end it on to our neighbors 

PUZZLE SETUP: 

1. Place obstacles on the “O” squares. 

2. Place broken pipes on the “P” squares. 

3. Place the start tile on the “S” square. 

4. Place the finish tile on the “F” square. 

5. You may only use the number of each type 

of pipe shown next to the game map. 

HOW TO PLAY: 

FOR 

AGES 

8+ 

1. Route the water from start to finish by using 

your pipe tiles. 

2. Fix each broken pipe on the board by replacing

Winnovators 

We solve 

problems at 

work every 

day. But 

what if our 

problemsolving 

could 

change lives? 

WaterAid/ Ben Roberts 

Solve 

Fund 

WaterAid/ Fermín López 

WaterAid/ Yiannis Katsaris 

Learn 

WaterAid’s employee 

development programme 

solves real issues, funds 

life-changing work and 

teaches new skills. 

See what it takes 

to be a Winnovator ! 

www.wateraid.org/uk/waterinnovators 

or contact Nefertiti Saleh at 

nsaleh@wateraidcanada.com for more 

information.

June 2018 Pipeline

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