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Bio-Digester Steering Committee

Minutes
Friday October 28th, 2011
Georgian Bluffs Council Chambers
Members Present:
Mayor Bob Pringle, Township of Chatsworth
Deputy Mayor Terry McKay, Township of Chatsworth
Mayor Alan Barfoot, Township of Georgian Bluffs
Members Absent:
Deputy Mayor Dwight Burley, Township of Georgian Bluffs
Staff Present:
Will Moore, CAO/Clerk - Township of Chatsworth
Bruce Hoffman, Clerk - Township of Georgian Bluffs
Christine Fraser-McDonald, Deputy Clerk Township of Georgian Bluffs (Recording
Secretary)
Troy Unruh, Public Works Operator
Others Present:
Ross Slaughter, P. Eng., Genivar
1. Call to Order:
Mayor Barfoot called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m.
2. Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the general nature thereof:
None at this time.
3. Adoption of the Minutes:
Moved by: Deputy Mayor McKay
Seconded by: Mayor Pringle
That the minutes of September 30th, be adopted as presented.

Carried

Bio-Digester Steering Committee


Minutes
Friday October 28th, 2011
Georgian Bluffs Council Chambers
4. Correspondence:
(1) Email from Kabir Mano of Maple Reindeers re: Low water pressure.
The Committee directed Troy Unruh to contact a plumber to investigate the low
pressure problem and bring this back to the Committee.
(2) Email from Krystal Plobner of Veolia Water re: Pump repairs.
Noted and filed.
(3) Email from Joe Jacobs of David Chapmans Ice Cream Limited re: Long term
organic waste disposal plans.
Noted and filed.
(4) Genivar re: Spreading of Digestate on agricultural land.
Ross Slaughter has spoken to Dennis Bumstead and has this set up tentatively for
Saturday October 29th. The MOE has been notified as well.
Terry McKay noted that there is a Chatsworth resident that is also interested in
spreading the digestate on his farm. The Committee will approach the farming
community over the winter to see if anyone else is interested in spreading the
digestate on their lands.
(5) Email from Krystal Plobner of Veolia Water re: Recommended Action Items.
The new rake for cleaning the bar screen is on site today and it has a stainless steel
head.
The personal gas meter will be coming back after warranty repairs.
Veolia will investigate pricing for a portable gas meter.
Data collection will be completed more frequently.

Bio-Digester Steering Committee


Minutes
Friday October 28th, 2011
Georgian Bluffs Council Chambers
5. Reports:
(1) Ross Slaughter of Genivar re: Bio-digester related items.
Ross said that during the last month biogas production, with feeding the bio-digester
14m3 of substrate per day, is approximately 60 kW. It should be producing enough
biogas to operate the generator at 100kW to 110kW. In order to do this, solids in the
digestate and digester should be approximately 8% more. When the initial samples
were taken of the digestate on June 27th and 28th, the total solids were
approximately 2.8%. The most recent sample taken on October 14th showed solids
reduced to approximately 2.3%. It is important that these solids increase up to
approximately 8%. It is important that the solids are increased so that during the
maintenance period, which goes to January 18th, 2012 that we are producing
better gas volumes. Ross said it is also suggested that we get the VOSTAC instrument
to assist with biogas production from OMAFRA in Guelph. Jake Bruyn of OMAFRA is
willing to have this loaned to the municipality to help improve gas production.
Ross said that advice should be obtained from CH4 on the operation of the system
to increase gas production. The municipality will likely have to pay a nominal
amount for this advice. Ross said that the drum screen for septage dewatering
needs to be operated in a consistent matter. If it cannot be, then measures must be
taken to get it to operate in a consistent manner. Over the past number of months,
there has been
numerous times when the septage has been bypassed or the
septage has not been dewatered properly, partly due to the fact that no testing
has been carried out to properly see how much polymer should be put in to the
septage to get the solids up to approximately 7%, which is the approximately design
number for the dewatered septage going to the hydrolyzer.
Ross also said that it is important that the field tests and sampling, as set out by
Genivar are followed by the operators a few times so that better adjustment of the
drum screen can be carried out. It is important that the maintenance of the drum
screen and bar screen be carried out consistently so that septage can be put in to
the digester on a consistent basis. Investigation of sewage flow to the bar screen
should be carried out. It should be noted in the Certificate of Approval that there is
a requirement to provide detailed records on the amount of waste and details on
the type of waste in an annual report on the Derby Lagoon sewage works. There is a
need to keep detailed records of the amount of waste, and type of digestate solids
received and production of electricity. There is a requirement to do an annual
report which would be part of the sewage report.
Committee directed Ross Slaughter to request the loan of a VOSTAC instrument from
OMAFRA in Guelph to assist with biogas production.
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Bio-Digester Steering Committee


Minutes
Friday October 28th, 2011
Georgian Bluffs Council Chambers
Committee directed Troy Unruh to monitor the flow from the trucks to determine the
rate at which the septage is emptied. It should be taking at least 11 minutes for this
to occur.
Committee directed Ross to contact CH4 to get their expert advice on increasing
gas production.
(2) September Wastewater Operations Report from Veolia Water.
Noted and filed.
(3) Geo-Dredging and Dewatering Inc. re: Quotation to de-sludge the Lagoon.
Noted and filed.
(4) CAO Moore to report on a Septage Advisory Group meeting.
CAO Moore said the Advisory Group is continuing to work towards having land
application of sewage banned. It may be a phased in approach and Ontario will
be the last province to have banned this practice.
6. Unfinished Business:
(1) Acceptance of Source Separated Organics from the Municipality of Meaford
(see email from Ross Slaughter dated October 26th, 2011).
Ross Slaughter said that the Certificate of Approval allows for the treatment of SSO
at the Bio-digester, but it does not indicate if the SSO needs to be pasteurized. He
had contacted OMAFRA and the MOE and their suggestion is that the SSO should
be pasteurized. As per the Nutrient Management Protocol anything with meat
waste in it should be pasteurized in part to control odours. Ross said he also
contacted Bruce Voisin from All Treat Farms Limited and he indicated that they are
pasteurizing digested SSO from another location at 55C in their composting system.
Ross said that based on this, we cant accept the organics from Meaford as we
would have to put the organics through the pasteurizer. Ross was instructed to
speak to Chris Collyer at Meaford in this regard.
Ross also noted that there is a lot of extra material left over from the construction of
the new storage tank. There should be enough material to build the road to the
new tank. This can be completed in the spring when there is more staff available.

Bio-Digester Steering Committee


Minutes
Friday October 28th, 2011
Georgian Bluffs Council Chambers
(2) Quotes for the fabrication of the aluminum rake for the cleaning of the bar
screen at the bio-digester.
Quotes from Kuhl Machine Shop in the amount of $331.00; Krueger Custom Steel in
the amount of $375.00 and Barfoots Welding & Machine Shop in the amount of
$575.00 had been obtained.
Moved by: Mayor Pringle
Seconded by: Deputy Mayor McKay
That the Bio-digester Steering Committee recommends that Georgian Bluffs Council
accepts a quotation from Kuhl Machine Shop in the amount of $331.00 plus HST for
the fabrication of an aluminum rake for the cleaning of the bar screen at the Biodigester.
Carried
7. New Business:
(1) Quote from Eden Environmental Services Ltd., for the hauling and disposal of
digestate from the Storage Tank.
Moved by: Deputy Mayor McKay
Seconded by: Mayor Pringle
That the Bio-digester Steering Committee recommends that Georgian Bluffs Council
accepts a quotation from Eden Environmental Services in the amount of
$14.50/cubic metre plus HST to haul and dispose of the digestate from the Storage
Tank at the Bio-digester.
Carried
(2) Invoices from J.A. Porter Holdings for pipe and fittings for connection of the
digestate storage tanks.
Moved by: Mayor Pringle
Seconded by: Deputy Mayor McKay
That the Bio-digester Steering Committee recommends that Georgian Bluffs Council
pay the outstanding invoices from JA Porter Holdings (Lucknow) Ltd., in the amount
of $7,642.40.
Carried
Mayor Barfoot directed the Clerk of Georgian Bluffs to contact Andy MacDonald at
Hydro One to obtain a quotation for three phase power for the Bio-digester.
The Committee directed that a contract with the Ontario Power Authority regarding
a larger generator or the Bio-digester be included on the Committees action list.

Bio-Digester Steering Committee


Minutes
Friday October 28th, 2011
Georgian Bluffs Council Chambers
Troy Unruh was instructed to speak to Paul McNeely of AEA Automations regarding
the foaming problem and to get this fixed.
8. Next Meeting Date: November 24th @ 8:30 a.m.
9. Adjournment:
The Committee adjourned at 10:10 a.m. on a motion moved by Deputy Mayor
McKay.

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