NNSL (Mar 27/98) - The NWT Housing Corporation is experimenting with a new recycling system that could cut water bills in Yellowknife.

The system is now being tested in Toronto by Creative Communities Research, and progress is being monitored until it can be transported to Ndilo to be field-tested for northern use.

Bill Fandrick, consultant to the Housing Corporation on the water recycling project, said the prototype has been designed to exact specifications. He added that Ndilo was the selected location because of its accessibility.

"We wanted a place to demonstrate viability which would also be easily accessible," Fandrick said. "Because Ndilo is close to (central) Yellowknife, we would be able to monitor it closely."

Rolf Paloheimo, president of Creative Communities Research, said the system to be tested in Ndilo will resemble one already in place in a Toronto home.

"What we have was built on site, which allowed us to put equipment on lower floors and underground," he said. "For the North, we're using different materials and we want to put it in a box and make it an appliance -- closer to the size of a furnace." The prototype takes in water that is normally used only once before being dumped into the sewer and filters out impurities, allowing for the water to be used once more in washing machines or in toilets.

"The system would work in the same way a septic tank would," Fandrick said. "The system polishes and cleans up the water so it can be reused. But you wouldn't be able to drink it."

Paloheimo said that while the water could be used for washing clothes and in toilets, public health officials have yet to approve recycled water for baths and showers.

"The water is quite clear," Paloheimo said.

Fandrick also said the implementation of a water recycling system in Northern communities would not only help preserve the environment, but could also save homeowners money on their water bills.

"We take water that's purified and then it's flushed away," he explained. "If the system works according to the specifications, households will have just as much water but for less money."

It could also mean fewer visits from the water truck for those who live in Old Town and others with no access to piped water.

The installation of each system would run homeowners about $10,000, but Paloheimo said those costs are not out of the ordinary range for plumbing.

"In the South, to build a septic system on an easy site would cost $5,000 to $7,000," he said. "For sewers on an easy site, it could run $7,000 to $8,000.

"In small communities, it's often $100,000 for every unit installed."

Paloheimo said the use of water recycling systems in the North would not only result in financial benefits, but would bring peace of mind to those who used the system in their home.

"It's certainly going to ameliorate the costs, but people will run out of water less frequently," he said.

Fandrick said the testing is still in its early stages, with only one week of monitoring having been completed to date.

The water recycling system prototype is expected to arrive in Ndilo for field testing some time in May.