Water Conservation, Efficiency and Productivity Programs

Transcript

A recognized leader in sustainable water management, the Town of Okotoks, AB, has achieved one of the lowest per capita gross water consumption rates in North America through implementing its Water Conservation, Efficiency and Productivity (CEP) Plan. First developed in 2002, the evolving plan features a diverse suite of conservation and efficiency programs in five key areas: regulatory tools; financial tools; utility infrastructure and operation; education and outreach; and partnerships and collaboration.

Supply-side and demand-management measures in each area cover the full cycle of water use. These include indoor water conservation measures; an extensive rebate program; a 12-inch topsoil bylaw to ensure greater water retention; commercial development standards to reduce outdoor water use; consumption-based utility rates; and an advanced leak detection system. Through the innovative Conservation Educator Program, educators visit residents door-to-door during the summer months to discuss strategies for reducing water use.

With support from FCM's Green Municipal Fund (GMF 392) in 2002, the town equipped its state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility with a composting system that eliminates sludge from the treatment process and returns high-quality effluent to the Sheep River. 

Results

Challenges

• When drafting the bylaw requiring 12 inches of topsoil for residential lots, the town did not consult thoroughly with builders on requirements and process. This led to confusion and poor compliance — until the town revised the bylaw.
• Once they receive additional topsoil, residents do not always landscape their yards within 12 months, as the bylaw requires.
• When preparing updates for a 2014 Water CEP Plan, the town discovered that residents and developers had reached a saturation point for change.

Lessons learned

• Implement a universal metering program for the residential, commercial and industrial sectors to monitor water consumption and track trends.
• Develop an ongoing community education plan to ensure participation in water conservation programs.
• Give the community time to adapt to change, especially when introducing multiple environmental initiatives in different areas.

Sponsor

• Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC)

Resources

• Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development
• Alberta Municipal Affairs
• Alberta Health
• Alberta Urban Municipalities Association
• Town of Black Diamond
• Town of Turner Valley
• Municipal District of Foothills No.31
• Bow River Basin Council
• EPCOR Water Services Inc.
• Alberta Water Council
• University of Calgary 
• Worley Parsons
• Tristar Communities

Project Contact

Community Climate Action Strategy

Transcript

The City of Surrey, BC, has developed a Community Climate Action Strategy (CCAS) designed to both mitigate and adapt to climate change. First is the Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP), Surrey's blueprint for actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improve air quality and decrease energy consumption. Surrey aims to reduce community-generated GHG emissions 33 per cent by 2020, and 80 per cent by 2050, relative to 2009 levels. The second component is the Climate Adaptation Strategy, which lays the foundation for responding to climate change over the coming decades; addressing potential impacts on flood management, ecosystems, food security, health and safety. Key elements of the CCAS will be integrated into the city's Enterprise Risk Management framework, ensuring that plans accounts for climate risks, and that progress is reported.

Together, the plans should reduce energy bills and foster economic activity and employment opportunities. They will also help support the local food and agriculture sector, and improve public health and emergency preparedness.

Approved by city council in November 2013, the CCAS was developed with support from FCM's Green Municipal Fund (GMF 11040).

Results

Challenges

• Simultaneously developing two large plans demanded significant staff input and coordination with consultants and stakeholders.
• An online community engagement platform for soliciting citizen input would have been available earlier in the process. 

Lessons learned

• Outcome modeling was critical to the process, but it was technical and occasionally difficult to explain. Simple graphics helped to communicate the results and explain the environmental implications of different policy choices.
• Integrating mitigation and adaptation strategies can maximize common benefits, reduce conflicts and trade-offs and coordinate climate-related efforts.
• Focusing on interdepartmental collaboration from the outset builds ownership, and prompts departments to take the lead on implementation.
• Using existing indicators in performance measures can create economies of scale and make for more effective implementation.

Resources

• Surrey Sustainability Charter
• Surrey Sustainability and Energy webpage

Partners and Collaborators

• BC Hydro
• FortisBC
• Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
• BC Housing
• TransLink
• Metro Vancouver
• Surrey School Board
• LiveSmart BC
• ICLEI

Project Contact

Anna Mathewson
Manager, Sustainability
City of Surrey, BC
T. 604-598-583

Solid Waste Action Plan Implementation

Transcript

The City of Whitehorse, YK, is taking the lead among northern communities with a Solid Waste Action Plan that aims to divert at least half of its solid waste from landfill by 2015 and achieve zero waste by 2040.

The city has collected organics from single-family homes for over a decade, but more than 90 per cent of its waste comes from the rapidly growing commercial sector. The action plan focuses on commercial, institutional and construction waste and prioritizes high-volume materials from high-volume producers. City staff members are working one-on-one with businesses to help them implement customized waste diversion plans. 

The city has changed its bylaws to help divert cardboard, wood and organics from landfill; and is also doubling its composting capacity. Stricter enforcement at landfill and higher tipping fees for certain items also encourage diversion. Implementing the plan will allow the city to cut waste processing costs, reduce soil and water contaminants, increase soil and compost production, and delay the costly development a new landfill site.

Results

Challenges

• Hiring new staff for program implementation and enforcement took longer than expected.
• Administrative and legislative changes must be made before operations begin. For example, the city had to update the fees and charges bylaw to offer the new organics program.
• Building public-private partnerships is challenging: businesses range from mom-and-pop shops to huge enterprises, with wide-ranging goals and resources.

Lessons learned

• Get council support early: political commitment is essential, especially in a small community.
• Use innovative, ongoing communications to keep partners informed and engaged.
• Ensure that waste management costs are paid by the users. With a user-pay system, high-volume waste producers pay more.
• Target your public engagement — hold sector-by-sector meetings, followed by community-wide consultations.
• Determine sector-specific requirements (bin sizes, space issues, waste volume and collection frequency) and schedule service groupings to control costs and streamline processes.

Resources

This is part of a series of case studies on wastewater projects funded by the FCM's Green Municipal Fund. Each case study provides technical information, project details and tips on best practices.

Project overview

As part of a series of upgrades to the Kitchener Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, ON, implemented an energy-efficient aeration process to treat centrate generated at its new dewatering facility. Prior to the construction of the dewatering facility, biosolids created during water treatment were stored in lagoons and treated with energy-intensive mechanical aeration systems. The new dewatering facility converts biosolids into cake form, generating a side stream of concentrated liquid called centrate, which contains high concentrations of ammonia, phosphorus and organic matter. To treat the centrate and lower the concentrations of ammonia in the final effluent, the region upgraded the plant's aeration technology. The project team retrofitted the existing mechanical aeration tanks with a diffused aeration system, featuring energy-efficient blowers located in a newly constructed building adjacent to the WWTP. The diffused aeration system transmits air to pollutants more efficiently, to better process ammonia and organic nitrogen into nitrate. Construction was done in stages to reduce the impact on plant operations. 

Reasons for the project

• The region wanted to implement its Wastewater Treatment Master Plan recommendations on reducing phosphorus and ammonia loadings.

Innovative aspects of the project

• This method of ammonia-nitrogen removal could be replicated widely in municipalities across the country that are dealing with issues related to dewatering, including the challenge of meeting the high environmental standards for biosolids. Generating centrate and removing contaminants from the centrate can help municipalities avoid the higher costs associated with decontaminating biosolids.

Best practices and key lessons

The municipality's experience with this project demonstrates some best practices and key lessons that can inform similar projects.

Engage early and broadly

• Proper coordination among all parties involved (owner, plant operator, contractor and the various consultant engineers working on different projects) and efficient project management are critical for project success.

Include contingencies in the project budget and schedule

• It is important to account for potential weather delays in the construction schedule. The region took a proactive approach, which allowed it to deliver the project on time despite experiencing 30 inclement-weather days. This approach included sequencing activities so that operations at the plant were not disturbed. The region set clear requirements with contractors that their work should be completed prior to payment.

Use effective communications and project management

• Prior to undertaking the project, the region held a public information event to inform the public and receive feedback. Although the event was poorly attended, participants expressed their support and voiced their concerns about odour.
• All members of the project team (the region, the Ontario Clean Water Agency, the consultant and the contractor) were involved in a pre-construction meeting. This meeting was to ensure good communication and to get the schedule endorsed as a priority by all parties. The team reviewed and discussed the schedule at least once a month at progress meetings.

Prepare detailed testing and work plans

• Conduct constructability reviews to maintain continuous plant operations.
• Develop detailed work plans and contingency plans for aspects of the project that involve taking major process units in and out of service.
• Provide as many temporary facilities and controls as needed for the continuous operation of the plant during construction.
• Consider current and future standby power requirements when implementing different phases of a larger project.

Carefully vet proposed new technologies

• Consider whether a proposed new technology has been proven in comparable applications.
• Ensure that the manufacturer provides an extended equipment warranty.

Consider future needs in building design and construction

• By taking future plant requirements into consideration, a municipality can avoid limiting the choices available for meeting those needs.

View of Kitchener Water Treatment Facility site in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, ON. (Credit: Regional Municipality of Waterloo)

Project benefits

This project yielded a number of environmental, social and economic benefits. 

Environmental benefits

• Reduced energy consumption: The project team added variable frequency drives, which ramp up and slow down motors depending on requirements, reducing energy demands.
• Lower energy use: The team replaced mechanical aerators, which are energy-intensive, with diffused aeration systems. In addition, the new blowers installed are energy-efficient. A new heat recovery system in the blower building re-uses waste heat produced by air blowers. Natural lighting and motion sensor lights were also incorporated. 
• Improved effluent quality: The project team retrofitted the aeration tank with return activated sludge reaeration, an anoxic zone, and plug-flow configuration, and added new blowers and an air diffusion system. With these upgrades, effluent discharge is no longer ammonia-rich (dropping from 28 mg/L to 6.2 mg/L). Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels have also dropped, by approximately 50 per cent.
• Waste diversion: During project construction, approximately 50 per cent of construction waste was diverted from landfill.
• Biodiversity and ecosystem protection: Improved effluent quality helps to protect the aquatic life in the Grand River. 
• Reduced odour: The new dewatering facility and centrate management process minimize odour, which was a problem with the previous biosolids management system involving lagoon storage.

Social benefits

• Protection of public health: Enhanced water quality in the Grand River protects the health of local residents.

Economic benefits

• Reduced operating costs: Operating costs are expected to drop in the long term because of the energy-efficiency features incorporated into the plant. With the reduced volume of biosolids produced through dewatering, transportation costs are reduced as well.
• Support of local economy: Various regional municipalities rely on the Grand River watershed for agricultural activities. Effluent quality improvements ensure that this watershed remains viable for all communities that depend on it.
• Minimized project costs: The city did full-cost accounting and sought fully competitive pricing.

Project contact information

José R. Bicudo, PhD, P.Eng.
Senior Project Engineer, Wastewater Operations
The Regional Municipality of Waterloo, ON
T. 519-575-4757, ext. 4720

This is part of a series of case studies on wastewater projects funded by the FCM's Green Municipal Fund. Each case study provides technical information, project details and tips on best practices.

Project overview

The City of Wetaskiwin, AB, retrofitted its aerated lagoon to improve the reliability, performance and capacity of the facility and ensure that it meets provincial environmental standards. The city replaced the facility's coarse bubble aeration equipment with fine bubble aeration technology. This allowed for more effective and efficient treatment of wastewater and reduced energy costs. Excess sludge from the lagoon is used as a source of nutrients for nearby agricultural land. More efficient blowers and an improved operating system have lowered operating costs. The reduced need for desludging the lagoon has resulted in lower maintenance costs. 

Reasons for the project

• The existing system was aging.
• The municipality needed greater wastewater treatment capacity and reliability.
• The city needed to ensure that the effluents were in compliance with Alberta Environment and Parks regulatory requirements.

Innovative aspects of the project 

• The modern technology installed in this major upgrade greatly improves the quality of the treated sewage and reduces operating costs.

Best practices and key lessons

The municipality's experience with this project demonstrates some best practices and key lessons that can inform similar projects.

Engage early and broadly

• The city engaged the engineering department and communicated frequently. This helped the project team finish early and under budget. 

Include contingencies in the project budget and schedule 

• Contingency planning will help reduce the increased costs due to inclement weather and implementation delays.

Project benefits

This project yielded a number of environmental, social and economic benefits. 

Environmental benefits

• Reduced energy consumption: The city added variable frequency drives, which ramp up and slow down the motors depending on requirements, to reduce energy demands.
• Reduced energy use: Energy consumption is reduced through energy-efficient motors and improved oxygen transfer.
• Protected groundwater quality: New monitoring wells drilled around the facility enable early detection of leakage. This will protect groundwater quality.
• Reduced chemical residuals: The upgrade enables the effluent to be treated to a higher quality without the use of chlorine disinfection.
• Decreased soil erosion: Excess sludge is used as a source of nutrients for nearby agricultural land.
• Increased ecosystem protection: Improved effluent quality, combined with earlier detection of leakage through new monitoring wells drilled around the facility, will protect the health of surrounding wildlife and ecosystems. 

Social benefits

• Improvement of public health: By improving the effluent quality to ensure that it meets provincial standards, the project promotes human health.
• Public education and awareness: After project completion, the City of Wetaskiwin embarked on a public education campaign to inform residents of the benefits of water conservation and energy efficiency, including the resulting load reduction on the facility and a long service life.
• Improved level of service: The upgraded facility will not only provide reliable service for an estimated 20-year period, it will also better manage treatment peak loads and generally provide greater treatment capacity. 

Economic benefits

• Reduced operating costs: Annual operating costs are reduced with more efficient blowers and operating systems.
• Increased potential to attract new businesses: The plant's upgrade, which is estimated to support 20-year wastewater flows and loads, will support community development and revitalization by attracting businesses. 
• Increased ability to attract new residents: The plant's upgrade, which is estimated to support 20-year wastewater flows and loads, will support community development and revitalization by attracting residents. 

Technical highlights

Project contact information

Peter Pullishy
Utilities Coordinator
City of Wetaskiwin, AB
T. 780-361-4436

This is part of a series of case studies on wastewater projects funded by the FCM's Green Municipal Fund. Each case study provides technical information, project details and tips on best practices.

Project overview

The Town of Amherstburg, ON, consolidated three sewage service areas into one. This allowed the town to close down two sewage treatment plants – one was approaching approved treatment capacity limits and the other would have needed upgrades to meet current requirements for effluent quality.

The Amherstburg Pollution Control Plant (PCP), one of the only remaining primary treatment plants on the Great Lakes, is the largest of the town's sewage treatment facilities. It treats the majority of the sewage generated by the town's urban area but was approaching its approved capacity. Upgrades to the Amherstburg PCP included improvements to the headworks and screening as well as the grit removal, primary clarification and aeration systems. The town installed secondary treatment technologies, including bioreactor tanks with fine bubble diffusion and secondary clarifiers. The town also made improvements to the dewatering system and installed an ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system and an odour control system. 

Reasons for the project

• The town wanted to increase service capacity and address combined sewer overflows.
• The project was critical to meeting the goals of the Detroit River Remedial Action Plan.

Innovative aspects of the project

• The updates produced many environmental benefits in addition to higher-quality effluent: odour control, expanded capacity without extra land requirements, landscaping with native species, reduction of solid waste going to landfill and energy-efficient technology.
• The odour control system uses a biotrickling filter and a biofilter and, at the time of completion, was one of only a few full-scale installations of this type in Canada.
• The project involved a good process for equipment pre-selection, including consideration of life-cycle costs and energy efficiency.
• The town considered and evaluated various options in detail.

Best practices and key lessons

The municipality's experience with this project demonstrates some best practices and key lessons that can inform similar projects.

Select qualified contractors

• It is important to select contractors with a proven record of meeting project timelines. Originally, the construction was to have been completed in June 2012, but in reality it took until May 2013.

Engage operations staff early and provide support in adapting to the new upgrades  

• To train operations staff in the new processes and technologies, the town made the operations manuals available electronically on tablets for the staff to carry with them as they were working around the plant. This made information on plant operations and equipment readily available in the field.

View of clarifiers and aeration tanks. (Credit: Town of Amherstburg)

Project benefits

This project yielded a number of environmental, social and economic benefits.

Environmental benefits

Decreased energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: The new bubble aeration system minimizes energy consumption and GHG emissions. Additionally, a more efficient dewatering system produces fewer biosolids for transportation to a landfill.

Improved wastewater quality: Effluent quality has improved in terms of carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids and total residual chlorine. Discharge now meets stringent limits for ammonia, nitrogen, total phosphorus, E. coli and pH. Also, the increased plant capacity has reduced the number of plant bypass and combined sewer overflow events that discharge into the Detroit River.

Decreased water consumption: Treated wastewater is used for cleaning, washing or rinsing tasks in the plant. The surrounding area is landscaped with native vegetation, which is acclimatized to the existing local water conditions and requires minimal watering.

Reduced hazardous residuals: The plant uses a UV disinfection treatment process instead of gaseous chlorine.

Minimized environmental impact: The town used the existing land efficiently and did not need to procure any additional land for the plant upgrade. Specifically, the raw sewage force main and final effluent pipe both connect to their respective existing counterparts, avoiding the need to build on a greenfield site.

Protection of biodiversity and ecosystem: The higher-quality effluent resulted in improved water quality in the river. In addition, the town built a greenbelt along the edge of a pond located next to the plant, to enable pedestrian access and protect the wildlife that inhabit the pond. The project has improved effluent quality and lowered the levels of effluent overflow into the Detroit River, helping to protect the biodiversity of the river and Great Lakes.

Decreased odour pollution: A unique two-stage biotrickling odour control system has decreased the odour coming from the plant. 

Social benefits

Protection and improvement of public health: Several surrounding and downstream communities in the Great Lakes area will benefit from the improved water quality and its impact on public health.

Increased opportunities for recreational activities: Improvements to wastewater quality mean better water quality in the river, which makes the water and beaches more attractive for recreational activities.

Increased access to public space: The upgrades have improved the river's water quality, leading to a reduction in beach closures. Residents and visitors can better enjoy local beaches. 

Economic benefits

Reduced operating and maintenance costs: Energy-efficient technology and upgrades to the facility mean less energy use and lower operating and maintenance costs.

Deferred or avoided capital expenses: The project team took advantage of past investments in the facility, making choices that were cost-effective and highly compatible with the existing infrastructure. The project also made use of the existing outfall, the pump station and portions of the raw sewage force main and effluent pipeline to the pump station.

Increased district land values: The town expects property values around the two former facilities to rise, which would provide the town with additional revenue from the increased property taxes. Property values surrounding the Amherstburg PCP are not expected to be adversely affected.

Increased potential to attract new businesses: The additional capacity of the updated facility will allow the town to issue building permits for the service area, facilitating economic development and community revitalization.

Increased ability to attract new residents: With increased capacity to support economic development and community revitalization, the updated facility will make the municipality more attractive over the long term as the city grows.

Support for local business development: The Amherstburg PCP will serve several new areas: A sizeable area identified for heavy industrial activity, a smaller area designated for light industrial activity and two other areas designated for residential use. Providing sewage services to these areas will allow for their development and resulting positive contributions to the local economy.

Project contact information

Antonietta Giofu
Director, Engineering and Public Works
Town of Amherstburg, ON
T. 519-736-3664

This is part of a series of case studies on wastewater projects funded by the FCM's Green Municipal Fund. Each case study provides technical information, project details and tips on best practices.

Project overview

To improve treatment capacity and discharge quality, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, ON, constructed a new wastewater treatment plant, featuring extended aeration-activated sludge treatment, at the site of Ridgetown's existing aerated lagoon facility. The project team installed a new raw sewage pump station, adapted two of the existing lagoon cells to store biosolids and handle excess wet weather flows, and shut down the lagoon cells that were no longer needed. The new facility also provides tertiary treatment using sand filters and ultraviolet disinfection. 

  

Reasons for the project

• The municipality needed to increase the capacity of its wastewater treatment system and meet Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change targets for reducing E. coli in effluent.

Best practices and key lessons

The municipality's experience with this project demonstrates some best practices and key lessons that can inform similar projects.

Develop a comprehensive training and change management plan

• Public Utilities Commission operating staff were involved from the consulting phase to ensure a smooth start-up of the new facility.

Communicate with relevant government bodies at the planning stage 

• Liaising early in the planning stage with the local conservation authority could help alleviate delays in latter stages of the project.

Plan for contingencies and weather

• As much as possible, schedule construction work for warmer months.

Project benefits

This project yielded a number of environmental, social and economic benefits. 

Environmental benefits

• Improved wastewater quality: Levels of E. coli, phosphorus and ammonia are reduced.
• Reduced hazardous residuals: Upgraded tertiary treatment now features sand filtration and UV disinfection, resulting in cleaner, chlorine-free effluent.
• Biodiversity and ecosystem protection: Improved water quality supports the maintenance and expansion of habitat.

Social benefits

• Improved public health: Safer and cleaner discharge into streams, minimized periodic odour emissions and reduced noise disturbance ultimately result in a healthier environment for residents.
• Improved staff health and safety: Operators no longer need to enter a confined space to access the pump station.
• Greater opportunity for recreational activities: A healthier water flow supports recreational uses of downstream areas, including Gawne Drain, Lower Thames Valley and Lake St. Clair.
• Improved service delivery: The new facility can operate in all seasons and has extra capacity for emergency situations.
• Opportunity for public education and awareness: Public tours of the facility are available to help community members understand the value of sewage treatment. In addition, sludge samples are provided to the University of Guelph for student lab work.
• Improved neighbourhood aesthetics: Relocation of the facility provides a buffer between the Mitton Industrial Park and nearby residential properties. 

Economic benefits

• Avoided capital expenses: Savings resulted from locating the facility in an existing lagoon and re-using as much equipment as possible.
• Increased job creation or retention: Municipal jobs were retained and additional workloads created to meet staffing requirements for the operation of the new wastewater treatment plant.
• Increased potential to attract new businesses: Greater storage and treatment capacity and year-round operation can better support industrial and other commercial development.
• Increased potential to attract new residents: Greater storage and treatment capacity and year-round operation can better support community growth.
• Local economy stimulus: The plant is now able to accept and properly treat septage from haulers. This provides a new source of revenue for the municipality.
• Use of feasibility tools: The municipality used full-cost accounting and evaluated design choices based on the life-cycle costs over the long term.
• Demand management: Demand-side policies and programs, including the municipality's policies for water use restrictions and sewer use, encourage efficient resource management.
• Simplified staff operations: A SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system allows operators to make adjustments remotely and makes data monitoring more reliable and frequent.   

Technical highlights

This project was a new facility. Technical highlights are current as of 2012.

Municipal population: 103,671  

Urban/rural: urban

Treatment

• Before: Facultative lagoon
• After: Extended aeration-activated sludge

Disinfection

• Before: None - 153 CFU (Colony Forming Unit) /100 mL
• After: UV disinfection system - 10 CFU/100 mL

Biosolids management: Biosolids are left in the lagoon

Annual average daily flow (AADF)

• Before: 1.3 MLD (million litres per day)
• After: 1.5 MLD

Design capacity

• Before: 1.5 mg/L
• After: 2.3 mg/L

Per cent of total capacity used for AADF

• Before: 83 per cent 
• After: 64 per cent 

Total suspended solids (TSS)

• Before: 5.0 mg/L
• After: 4.7 mg/L

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

• Before: 2.4 mg/L
• After: 2.1 mg/L
   

Project contact information

Rob Bernardi
Facilities & Systems Manager, Water & Wastewater Services
Municipality of Chatham-Kent, ON
T. 519-436-0119, ext. 306

This is part of a series of case studies on wastewater projects funded by the FCM's Green Municipal Fund. Each case study provides technical information, project details and tips on best practices.

Project overview

To help meet phosphorus discharge targets set by the Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan and to sustainably handle both projected growth in the Picton-Hallowell urban area and septage from residents in the surrounding rural areas, Prince Edward County, ON, constructed a new pumping station and a new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The existing plant in the Town of Picton (in Prince Edward County), built in 1947, was approaching its rated capacity. Further in-service upgrades would have been difficult because of aging components, land use constraints and aspects of plant layout that limit the capacity to handle increasing peak flows. The new WWTP provides a greater level of wastewater treatment and meets more stringent effluent criteria by replacing chlorination with tertiary filtration and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. The plant was built and is operated under the county's full cost recovery approach to municipal water and wastewater infrastructure — an approach complemented by continual promotion of water conservation. 

Reasons for the project

• The existing facility was reaching the end of its service life.
• The county had increased capacity requirements. The county wanted to meet targets for phosphorus set out by the Bay of Quinte Remedial Action Plan.

Innovative aspects of the project 

• The project has improved the environmental sustainability of the community.
• Design-build is a solid approach for procurement and can fast-track construction during tight economic times.
• The municipality did an excellent job managing the project, from the feasibility study to the design-build process.

Best practices and key lessons

The municipality's experience with this project demonstrates some best practices and key lessons that can inform similar projects.

Engage early and broadly

• The municipality formalized the role of community members through a public works subcommittee and maintained regular engagement with practitioners, decision makers and the public through online status updates, press releases, a substantial milestone completion ceremony and a grand opening.

Use integrated teams and processes

• Involve operations staff in the design process from the start to ensure that design choices are optimal for ongoing facility operation. For example, cost cutting at the design stage may result in choices that are more laborious and time-consuming once in operation. Having input from operations staff can help in avoiding such mistakes.

Use alternatives to lowest-bid procurement

• A conventional tendering approach yielded bids that were significantly higher than the project budget. After offering bidders the opportunity to include facility operation in their bids (whereby the bidders would invest capital, which would be offset by future income), the municipality ultimately chose a design-build approach and worked with the successful bidder to reduce the costs to an acceptable level. This approach allowed the contractor and consulting engineer to work together to identify technical solutions and resolve construction issues. The arrangement reduced capital costs by producing a design tailored for cost-effective construction. The design-build team and the municipality also worked together in a value-engineering exercise to determine which aspects of the project could be eliminated or modified without impacting the project goals.

Project benefits

This project yielded a number of environmental, social and economic benefits. 

Environmental benefits

Improved effluent quality: Through the addition of tertiary treatment and UV disinfection, the new WWTP provides higher quality effluent compared to the old plant. 

Reduced hazardous residuals: UV technology has replaced chlorination for disinfection.

Reduced odour pollution: The new plant includes an odour-control system, which has eliminated odour emissions, improving air quality. 

Social benefits

Improved public safety: The new facility is fenced and has security alarms to minimize crime and accidents. 

Improved service delivery: The new WWTP provides more reliable treatment than the old facility, allowing for an overall reduction in bypasses and effluent non-compliance events. In addition, the plant has greater capacity to accommodate anticipated growth. It can also serve users whose households are not connected to the sewage collection system, providing a convenient and affordable means of septage disposal.

Creation of public space: Demolition of the old plant has improved the aesthetics of the surrounding space. The municipality plans to revitalize the space by turning it into parkland. Furthermore, the new plant is located further away from public recreation areas.

Protection and improvement of public health: With the new plant producing higher quality effluent, residents will have access to higher quality water. 

Economic benefits

Increased potential to attract new businesses: By increasing the treatment and reserve capacity, the county will be able to serve additional businesses.

Increased potential to attract new residents: By increasing the treatment and reserve capacity, the county will be able to support a growing community.

More efficient operation: System automation through SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) allows for more efficient operation of equipment.

Project contact information

Don Caza 
Director of Water and Wastewater Services
County of Prince Edward, ON
T. 613-476-2148, ext. 4501

Kayla Beach 
Compliance Supervisor
County of Prince Edward, ON
T. 613-476-2148, ext. 4505