Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP)

A Story of Successfully Reducing Water Contaminants

Claytek provided advanced water treatment solutions for the TMEP, successfully reducing contaminants like pH, turbidity, nitrates, TSS, and iron across spreads 5B and 6.

Our expertise was leveraged to address complex water treatment challenges, ensuring compliance with stringent environmental regulations.

Spread 5B – Tunnel Blasting Water Treatment

Spread 6 – Dewatering and Iron Removal

Claytek was tasked with treating groundwater impacted by tunnel blasting operations. The water presented multiple challenges, including elevated pH levels, turbidity, nitrates, metals, and hydrocarbons. The high pH resulted from shotcrete-lined tunnel walls, while nitrates and total suspended solids (TSS) were also significant concerns.

  • Treatment Approach: We successfully reduced pH, TSS, and metal concentrations to meet discharge standards. However, despite our efforts, nitrate levels remained above drinking water standards. While the treated water met regulatory discharge criteria, restrictions related to nearby aquifers prevented release.

For Spread 6, our focus was on the removal of TSS and iron—both dissolved and total—from dewatering operations. The treatment system effectively reduced iron concentrations from as high as 40 ppm and turbidity levels of 2,500 NTU down to 0.01 ppm iron and 1 NTU, ensuring compliance with British Columbia’s discharge regulations.

  • Treatment Process: Our approach combined oxidization, high-quality filtration, and the addition of CETCO RM10 products, which proved highly effective in achieving consistent results.
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Reliable Solutions in Challenging Conditions

Throughout the project, Claytek was deployed across multiple locations, successfully managing highly variable water treatment conditions. Our ability to consistently achieve regulatory compliance—despite fluctuating contaminant levels—demonstrates our commitment to innovative, effective, and environmentally responsible water treatment solutions.