Several months ago we mentioned that Winnipeg was building a water treatment plant that would use ozone to treat their water. Now the start up of that plant is only days away, turning on the taps at a $300-million water-treatment facility.
In the new plant ozone will break down organic chemicals into smaller, more easily destroyed chains. This will improve the look, smell and taste of the water. Fewer organic chemicals in the drinking water means fewer trihalomethanes — potentially carcinogenic compounds created when chlorine comes into contact with organics.
THE WINNIPEG WATER TREATMENT PLANT
Cost: $300 million
Under construction: 2005 to 2009
Capacity: 105 MGD
Benefits: Will reduce summer odor from algae, improve water clarity and reduce the amount of potentially carcinogenic compounds called trihalomethanes, which are created when chlorine comes into contact with organic chemicals
New water-treatment processes: Coagulation and flocculation, dissolved air flotation, ozone water treatment and biologically activated carbon filtration
Existing water-treatment processes: Chlorination and ultraviolet-radiation disinfection