Naturally Occurring and Fluctuating Soil Parameters in Saskatchewan - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Naturally Occurring and Fluctuating Soil Parameters in Saskatchewan Chelsea Cooke, B.Sc. Science (Geology) SEIMA - SustainTech March 21, 2019

About Me – Chelsea Cooke • Graduated from University of Regina May 2017 B.Sc. Science - Geology • Well-rounded experience • Watermark Consulting (2014 - 4 Months) – Geological Technician • Government of Sask. (2015 & 2016 - 8 Months) – Environment Protection Officer • Clifton Associates Ltd. (2017 - 2 Months) – Materials Testing • Aurora Geosciences (2017 - 5 Months) - Geologist • Associated Environmental (2018 to Present – 10 Months) – Environmental Scientist

Associated Engineering / Associated Environmental • Founded in the mid 1940’s. • AE has over 900 staff in 21 offices across the country. • Our head office in in Edmonton, Alberta.

Agenda • Defining Natural Parameters • Natural Fluctuations or Environmental Contamination? • Tools • Saskatchewan Environmental Quality Guidelines • Tools Aren’t Perfect • Results • Reasons for Fluctuating Parameters

Introduction • Saskatchewan – soils are unique • Saskatchewan – diverse consulting, engineering and environmental sector • Often requires chemical testing (for soils or groundwater) • Chemical data – abnormal/alarming or naturally occurring • There are federal and provincial tools at our disposal • Tools are not perfect • When tools are combined with analysis – can determine if an elevated parameter is contamination or naturally occurring • Analysis must include context in terms of Saskatchewan soils and groundwater quality

Naturally Occurring Parameters • “An unprocessed chemical occurring in a natural environment — chemicals obtained from plants, microorganisms, the earth, sea or animals without any processing at all, for example… minerals, ores, crude oil, coal and natural gas obtained without any processing.” • Saskatchewan soils hold ores, minerals, nutrients, and other various materials such as coal, petroleum products, potash and uranium. (Australian Government – Department of Health: National Industrial Chemicals: Notification and Assessment Scheme: Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989 (ICNA Act) ).

Natural Fluctuations or Environmental Contamination? Determinative tools exist for Saskatchewan: • Provincial and federal guidelines and standards • Government of Saskatchewan maps – display areas of elevated parameters in Saskatchewan • Remember these conditions are specific to Saskatchewan • Are not necessarily applicable in other environments

Tools: Guidelines and Standards

Health Canada: Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water • Total coliforms • Chloride • Nitrite • Turbidity • Chromium • Selenium • Aluminum • Copper • Silver • Ammonia • Cyanobacterial-Toxins • Sodium • Antimony • Fluoride • Total Dissolved Solids • Arsenic • Hardness • Uranium • Asbestos • Iron • Zinc • Barium • Magnesium • Boron • Manganese Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines (CEQG / CCME 2014) https://www.ccme.ca/en/resources/canadian_environmental_quality_guidelines • Calcium • Nitrate /

Sask H 2 O • Alkalinity • Hydrogen Sulphide • Aluminum • Iron • Arsenic • Manganese • Barium • Mercury • Boron • Nitrate • Cadmium • Selenium • Chloride • Sodium • Copper • Sulphate • Fluoride • Total Dissolved Solids • Hardness • Uranium Sask H2O: Government of Saskatchewan: Fact Sheets (December 2007 – March 2011).

Tools: Government of Saskatchewan Maps

Naturall y Elevated Arsenic in Drinking Water

Naturall y Elevated Lead in Drinking Water

Naturall y Elevated Nitrate and Seleniu m in Drinking Water

Naturally Elevated Trihalomethan e in Drinking Water

Naturall y Elevated Uranium in Drinking Water

Saskatchewan Environmental Quality Guidelines Industrial Groundwater: Industrial Groundwater: Potable Water Values Only Not Mentioned in SEQG • Asbestos • Aluminum • Copper • Cyanobacterial-Toxins • Manganese • Hardness • Magnesium • Sodium • TDS Government of Saskatchewan. 2007. Municipal Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Guidelines. EPB202/2007. Regina, SK. Government of Saskatchewan. 2006. Saskatchewan’s Drinking Water Quality Standards and Objectives. EPB207/2006. Regina, SK.

Saskatchewan Environmental Quality Guidelines Industrial Groundwater: Industrial Groundwater: Multiple Values No Values • Total coliforms • Antimony • Selenium • Barium • Turbidity • Silver • Boron • Ammonia • Sulphate • Calcium • Cadmium • Uranium • Chloride • Zinc • Chromium • Fluoride • Iron • Nitrate Government of Saskatchewan. 2007. Municipal Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Guidelines. • Nitrite EPB202/2007. Regina, SK. Government of Saskatchewan. 2006. Saskatchewan’s Drinking Water Quality Standards and Objectives. EPB207/2006. Regina, SK.

Tools Are Not Always a Perfect Fit • SEQG can be confusing – Difficulty and/or confusion in determining which standards to compare values to • SEQG values are a mixture of multiple standards and guidelines • Natural elevated parameters values will likely not align with potable water standards • The tools are in place but more education and instruction can be developed for small communities • Potential opportunity to work with provincial and federal legislations to create more clear and concise guidelines and standards.

Results Parameter Jul- Sep- Jul- Oct- Jul- Oct- Jun- Oct- Jul- Sep- Aug Sep- Sep- SEQG: SEQG: SEQG: Human Ecological Agricultural 02 06 07 07 08 08 09 09 11 12 -13 14 15 Exp. Exp. Exp. Fluoride 0.83 0.73 0.74 0.75 0.64 0.76 0.63 0.74 0.57 0.70 0.82 0.60 0.59 1.5 0.12 1.0 (mg/L) TDS (mg/L) 432 680 584 652 660 696 736 768 599 604 545 530 514 500 No 3000 Value Iron (mg/L) 5.01 87.2 51.2 66.2 51.2 237 7.24 249 - 0.34 0.1 42.2 - 0.3 0.3 5.0 Manganese 0.45 1.06 0.61 0.72 1.1 2.69 0.4 2.64 - <0.0 <0.0 0.77 - 0.05 No 0.2 (mg/L) 1 1 6 Value Exceeded Ecological Exceeded Human Exposure Exceeded Two or All Exposure Exposures

Why do these parameters fluctuate? • Seasonality • Annual precipitation • Storms or extreme weather events • Surface run-on or run-off • Migration of groundwater • Proximity to agricultural land • Natural geographic features • Alteration of stratigraphic layers Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: Municipal Affairs and Environment: Groundwater. Last Updated September 20, 2018.

• Many aspects of quality assurance / quality control Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: Municipal Affairs and Environment: Groundwater. Last Updated September 20, 2018.

Conclusion • Saskatchewan – soils are unique • Saskatchewan – diverse consulting, engineering and environmental sector • Often requires chemical testing (for soils or groundwater) • Chemical data – abnormal/alarming or naturally occurring • There are federal and provincial tools at our disposal • Tools are not perfect • When tools are combined with analysis – can determine if an elevated parameter is contamination or naturally occurring • Analysis must include context in terms of Saskatchewan soils and groundwater quality • Room for improvement – opportunity to educate small communities on tools available and how to use them

References Australian Government – Department of Health: National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme. Industrial Chemicals • (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989 (ICNA Act). Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines (CEQG / CCME 2014) https://www.ccme.ca/en/resources/canadian_environmental_quality_guidelines/ • Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: Municipal Affairs and Environment: Groundwater. Last Updated September 20, 2018. • Government of Saskatchewan. 2007. Municipal Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Guidelines. EPB202/2007. Regina, SK. • Government of Saskatchewan. 2006. Saskatchewan’s Drinking Water Quality Standards and Objectives. EPB207/2006. Regina, SK. • Personal Interview: Gordon Will (Associated Environmental Ltd.) March, 2019. • Personal Interview: Helen Song (Associated Environmental Ltd.) March, 2019. • Personal Interview: Vida Ramin (Associated Environmental Ltd.) March, 2019. • Sask H 2 O: Government of Saskatchewan: Fact Sheets (December 2007 – March 2011). • Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment: Province of Saskatchewan: Naturally Elevated Arsenic in Drinking Water (May 2008). • Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment: Province of Saskatchewan: Elevated Lead, Nitrate and Selenium in Drinking Water (May 2008). • Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment: Province of Saskatchewan: Elevated Trihalomethanes in Drinking Water (May 2008). • Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment: Province of Saskatchewan: Elevated Uranium in Drinking Water (May 2008). •

Questions? Chelsea Cooke , cookec@ae.ca