Until early 2000 the water supply for the historic Village of Sherbrooke along the eastern shore of Nova Scotia had been taken, without treatment, from a nearby lake. A new water treatment plant, at an estimated $1,000,000 for an 80,000 GPD plant, was considered cost prohibitive for the small community. In 1997 ABL investigated the use of dissolved air flotation (DAF) technology as a lower cost alternative in a pilot study, concluding that DAF with polyaluminum chloride coagulants and conventional filters would achieve good performance. The subsequent predesign report estimated a basic DAF/filter plant would cost about $400,000.

With funding in place the Village requested ABL to tender the design in 1998. Only one bid was received however, due to the remoteness of the site, and the project was retendered as a number of smaller jobs to encourage local contractors to bid. With the combined value of these tenders compatible with project funding, plant construction proceeded. The plant consists of an inlet pump chamber, flocculation tank, DAF tank and recycle system, filter tanks and clearwell. Although this is a small low-cost plant, the building contains separate rooms for lab/office and controls, electrical distribution, chemical storage/feed and washroom. The new water treatment plant, designed to blend with its historic surroundings, is now supplying the Village with potable water meeting all of Canada's drinking water guidelines. ABL operators trained the local operator in plant operation and undertook performance testing and commissioning.