Wastewater treatment plant: What's next?

Go to Documents for the complete Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant Environmental Impact Study for the Marine Receiving Environment - April 2018

In 2020, the City of Powell River will begin construction on our most ambitious and expensive infrastructure project in the City's history.

The new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) will significantly improve how we treat our wastewater, minimize our human impact on the marine environment, and bring Powell River into compliance with Government of Canada and Government of BC environmental law.

The location for the new facility is in Townsite, where the existing treatment plant will be decommissioned, along with plants in Westview and Wildwood.

On this page you will find:

a library of important documents
frequently asked questions
project timeline
visuals and videos
an opportunity to ask questions

In 2020, the City of Powell River will begin construction on our most ambitious and expensive infrastructure project in the City's history.

The location for the new facility is in Townsite, where the existing treatment plant will be decommissioned, along with plants in Westview and Wildwood.

On this page you will find:

a library of important documents
frequently asked questions
project timeline
visuals and videos
an opportunity to ask questions

Ask your question

We invite you to ask your questions here about the new wastewater treatment plant.

What do you want to know?

I was wondering if the contract has been awarded for the construction of the new facility, if so who is the contractor. Thanks

CMAW Asked 9 months ago

Contracts have not been awarded. We are currently in the tendering phase of the project to select the contractors. To see the RFPs, please visit the City's website. Thank you.
Can you lay out the plan to ensure the "most ambitious infrastructure project in the City's history" provides employment for local residents? With construction set to begin this spring, are there agreements with local contractors being created so they can hire the necessary staff?

Rob Hughes Asked 8 months ago

We are currently in the Request for Proposal (RFP) phase of the project. It's early in the selection process, so we're unable to answer your question at this time in regards to local contractors and job creation. If you wish to see the RFPs, please visit the City website. Thank you.
Thank you very much for your last answer. Appreciated. There are 3 sewage outfall pipes now...will they be replaced? If yes, how far out to sea is far enough at the current 3 locations to protect both human and wildlife from the sewage outfall? In my last question, the answer was that there will be monitoring of wildlife during construction. Could you please be more specific, please. I wish to know what that monitoring entailed and I would like to view the report. Last, has there been, then, research done on how the building of the Liquid Waste Plant will impact general wildlife and vegetation? If yes, where can I find that study? If no, why not? Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions.

Inge Bessmann Norris Asked 10 months ago

The three outflows will be decommissioned. In the Document Library on the right of your screen, you'll find Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant Environmental Impact Study for the Marine Receiving Environment - April 2018 (4.99 MB) (pdf); a report from the City's contractor, Associated Engineering. Answers to your questions regarding the impact of the wastewater treatment facility on the marine environment will be found in that document.
The City will do everything possible not to disturb wildlife or vegetation in construction.
How will the flora and fauna be protected? For example, there are eagle nests in the area of the WTP will they be considered for protection? How will the old-growth trees and the wildlife on the Willingdon Trail be protected when the WTP pipeline gets placed on that trail? I look forward to a response. Thank you.

Inge Bessmann Norris Asked 10 months ago

Studies will continue to be conducted, and there will be monitoring done so that every effort is made not to affect wildlife during the construction of the facility.

Ground penetrating radar will be used to avoid any damage to the trees along Willingdon Beach Trail. Where roots are impacted, unidirectional drilling will be used. The City does not expect it to be necessary to remove any of the trees.

The conveyance project would require excavation of a narrow trench along the pathway that would encompass the pipe and the City will mitigate as much of those tree roots as possible. Directional drilling will be used to avoid the root masses of 15 trees identified as being of concern.

The City is confident a pipe can be put along pathway and the trail will look much as it does now.
Thank you for your question.
Would love to add my hand putting murals on it!

catnip Asked 11 months ago

Catnip - The murals you've done on the Townsite treatment plant and the Haslam Lake reservoir are terrific. It remains undecided what will be done with the walls of the new wastewater treatment plant until Council is presented with a final design for review.
When is the design completion phase expected to be complete? Will there be any progress updates before it's complete?

badkaren Asked 11 months ago

The deadline for the design completion phase is Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The most recent architectural renderings for the administration building from July 2019 have been posted. The wastewater treatment plant project will be updated as it proceeds.