Fox Creek, Alberta
Contaminated Leachate Breach Response
In response to a contaminated leachate breach from an enclosed waste facility, ShockWater was secured to prevent adverse environmental impacts. Once onsite, our team of specialists pumped the overflowing tailings pond into temporary storage tanks and treated the fluids to meet CCME surface discharge specifications.
ShockWater’s mobile treatment plant removed C10-C16 hydrocarbons with an Ion Exchange system and 8x30 Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) downstream. The treatment plant also speciated excess Selenium present in the water using additive injection, then captured it in glass media filtration units.
During the treatment phase, ShockWater identified elevated and previously undetected concentrations of phenols and zinc localized at the base of the tailings pond. In response, the engineering team rapidly formulated a corrective action plan, which received approval and was operationalized within 24 hours. The remediation strategy involved the controlled addition of sodium hydroxide to induce precipitation of the contaminants prior to filtration, ensuring effective downstream treatment and compliance with discharge criteria.
ShockWater’s in-situ treatment program delivered a faster, safer, and more cost-effective solution while successfully safeguarding the environment. The project was completed in just three weeks, ensuring the client could address the leachate breach on an efficient schedule.
- Facilitated the safe discharge of treated fluids into the environment
- Avoided the need for 247 truckloads (approximately 73,112 km) of fluids transportation
- Mobilized equipment to address unexpected contaminants in less than 24 hours
- Treated 15,000 m3 of total fluids
- Maintained a flow rate of 1,282 m3 per day for surface release
