Butson, Nick

Nick Butson is a Professional Engineer in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada that practices wastewater and process engineering for Geosyntec Consultants. Nick has over ten years of experience in wastewater treatment and is a licensed professional engineer in Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. In his spare time, Nick enjoys time with his family working on his house, and camping.

Titles from this speaker

Description: Comparison of NMR Analysis and Traditional Wastewater Analysis to Evaluate an...

Comparison of NMR Analysis and Traditional Wastewater Analysis to Evaluate an Anaerobic Bioreactor Upset

Abstract

This study investigated the process upset of a benchtop low rate anaerobic reactor by quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) using typical wastewater quality analysis used by AD process operators and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. NMR is a fully quantifying and non-targeting method to detect changes in wastewater quality. The anaerobic reactor was seeded using anaerobic sludge from a potato processer and operated with a blanched potato wastewater mixture to provide nutrients and substrate. The system was operated for eight weeks to achieve steady state. During steady state, NMR was used to analyze the reactor effluent to generate steady state spectra of effluent quality for comparison during upset conditions. Once steady state was achieved, one dose of Benzolakonium chloride (BAC, a common QAC used in industrial sanitary processes) was added at 15 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in the reactor and the impact of the single dose on reactor performance was assessed. The study found that the reactor performance measured using COD removal efficiency, effluent volatile acid to partial alkalinity (VA/PA) ratio, effluent oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and methane gas yield indicated a process upset. NMR spectra identified an increase in volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the effluent as a result of BAC addition. The results indicate that process upset conditions were caused by the single dose of QAC to the reactor at 15 mg/L and the upset conditions persisted for seven hydraulic retention times (HRTs) after the QAC was added.

This paper summarizes an experiment that investigated the effects of 15 mg/L benzalkonium chloride on a benchtop anaerobic digester using typical wastewater analytical methods (i.e., COD removal efficiency, methane generation yield, pH, etc.) as well as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The analytical methods were compared to understand advantages using NMR to analyze reactor performance and additional analytical results gained by NMR to diagnose anaerobic digestion process upsets.

SpeakerButson, Nick

Presentation time

11:20:00

11:30:00

Session time

11:00:00

12:00:00

SessionFinding Better Ways to Digest

Session number205

TopicBiosolids and Residuals

Author(s)

Nick Butson

Author(s)N. Butson1; J. Goodfellow2;

Author affiliation(s)Geosyntec Consultants, Waterloo, ON, CA1Geosyntec Consultants, Guelph, ON, CA2

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2021

DOI10.2175/193864718825158036

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count15

Description: Evaluation of a Publicly Owned Treatment Works to Accept New Loading from an...

Evaluation of a Publicly Owned Treatment Works to Accept New Loading from an Existing Industrial User

Abstract

The Berkeley County Public Service Sewer District operates a publicly owned treatment works (POTW) in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The POTW accepts wastewater from residents and various industrial users; treating the combined wastewater through sequencing batch reactors and other supporting unit processes. The POTW is regulated by a West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection permit that includes an industrial pretreatment program allocating loads to industrial users (IUs). This permit limits industrial loading to the POTW to below the plant’s capacity, reserving capacity for future development. When one IU requested an increase to its allocated loading, Geosyntec used the biological modeling software GPS-X and other calculations to evaluate the impact the additional wastewater load might have on the existing POTW system operation. The results of the analysis were used to modify the industrial pretreatment permit and allow the POTW to accept additional loading from the IU.

The Berkeley County Public Service Sewer District operates a publicly owned treatment works (POTW) in Martinsburg, West Virginia, that accepts domestic and industrial wastewater. Wastewater accepted from industrial users (IUs) is managed through an industrial pretreatment permit. An IU requested to increase loadings to the POTW. Geosyntec evaluated how the POTW would perform with the proposed increased loading and provided information needed to modify the existing industrial pretreatment permit.

SpeakerButson, Nick

Presentation time

14:00:00

14:20:00

Session time

13:30:00

14:30:00

SessionIndustrial Pretreatment Trends

Session locationRoom S401a - Level 4

TopicFundamental Level, Industrial Issues and Treatment Technologies, Utility Management and Leadership

Author(s)

Butson, Nick

Author(s)N. Butson 1; N. Butson 1 ; E. Toot- Levy 2;

Author affiliation(s)Geosyntec Consultants 1; Geosyntec Consultants 1 ; Geosyntec Consultants 2;

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2023

DOI10.2175/193864718825158994

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count17

Water Reuse for Food Processing in Canada — Case Study

Abstract

Introduction A potato processor in Canada treats wastewater generated on-site for direct discharge to a surface water body via an on-site wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that includes anaerobic digestion and a membrane bioreactor (MBR). The MBR effluent directed for discharge was evaluated to potentially reuse back in the potato processing facility after tertiary treatment. The analysis included the following elements: 1) Review and identification of information provided by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality (GCDWQ) that may impact water reuse for food production and impact on system design, verification, and validation. 2) Mass balance to evaluate capital costs, system operation, precipitation potential, and antiscalant and cleaning chemicals required to achieve suitable water recovery from high-pressure membrane tertiary treatment. 3) Return on investment and selection of water reuse objective. The case study explores the uncertainty in the regulatory environment for water reuse projects in Canada in the food and beverage sector. The objective of the project was to understand the risks to water reuse on-site and costs associated with the design and operation of a water reuse treatment system that maximizes water reuse for economical capital and operating costs, balance precipitation product formation and chemical dosing costs, compliance with the existing discharge permit, maximize water reuse and water reduction targets, and meet outcome-based water quality objectives to maintain food safety. Basis of Design The existing effluent discharged off-site was evaluated against the parameters in the GCDWQ to develop concentration based performance targets for the water reuse treatment system (WRTS), before review and analysis of pathogen loading and removal. The objective of the WRTS and review against the GCDWQ was to align where practical with the GCDWQ without necessarily meeting the full requirements of the potable water quality standards. The potato processor utilized ultrafiltration (UF) polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membranes that achieved excellent water quality, as exemplified by the silt density index (Table 1) and comparison to the GCDWQ where the filtrate exceeded ammonia-nitrogen, E. coli, total coliforms, conductivity, cryptosporidium, giardia, manganese, pH, N-nitrosodimethylamine-d6, sulfate, total dissolved solids, and temperature. The selected system to complete treatment focused on a high-pressure membrane treatment system and residual chlorine dosing system. Water Projections Geosyntec evaluated the performance of a high-pressure membrane treatment system and projected permeate and effluent quality. The effluent quality projected to be discharged off-site was estimated by combining effluent not directed to the WRTS and the concentrate stream generated by the high-pressure membrane system. To balance the impact of concentrating ionic species on membrane performance and discharge water quality, Geosyntec evaluated two scenarios: 1) Scenario 1 — recirculation of high-pressure membrane concentrate back to the on-site WWTP for additional removal across the process. 2) Scenario 2 — Blending of high-pressure membrane concentrate with effluent not directed to the WRTS. After the analysis was completed, the preferred scenario included blending a portion of high-pressure membrane concentration to the on-site WWTP and effluent stream. The water quality projections for the influent to the WRTS in two scenarios for evaluating high-pressure membrane systems that are provided in Table 2. The precipitation products and chemical dosing required to maintain membrane performance were analyzed in incorporated into the economic analysis. The result of the analysis indicated the following outcomes were feasible and economical for the WRTS: 1) 75% reduction in water purchased by the facility. 2) 60% to 75% recovery across the high-pressure membrane. 3) Compliance with the existing discharge permit. Food Safety and System Operation Geosyntec evaluated the food safety and outcome-based approach for system design and operation. The units of operation and monitoring of the WRTS selected are summarized below: 1) Flow equalization. 2) Continuous turbidity and monthly monitoring reporting. 3) Continuous membrane integrity monitoring (conductivity and transmembrane pressure) to divert off-specification reuse water and collect other data ongoing to verify system operation. 4) WRTS effluent residual chlorine dosing and continuous residual chlorine monitoring. 5) Validation period during challenge testing conditions, estimated to be summer and fall months for potato processing when the oldest potatoes from potato sheds (summer) are entering production and when fresh potatoes are harvested off the fields for production (fall) 6) Validation study of system performance and operation. 7) Verification process by third-party. Process Design The design criteria and food safety components were used to solicit vendor proposals for high-pressure membrane treatment systems and informed the balance of the process design of the treatment system, summarized in the process flow diagram (Figure 1) for the WRTS relative and WWTP flow streams. The vendor bids, equipment costs, and validation and verification period were used for consideration to advance the design of the WRTS.

This paper was presented at WEFTEC 2025, held September 27-October 1, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

Presentation time

14:00:00

14:30:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionExtreme Reuse: Industrial Water Reuse Cases and Advances

Session locationMcCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, USA

TopicIndustrial Treatment (All topics related to industrial sites)

Author(s)

Butson, Nick