Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant
There's a lot of activity going on near First Beach right now and it won't stop until 2022. Powell River's new $76 million Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant is underway with construction of the outfall.
With things swinging into motion, there's going to be a steady flow of information coming from City Hall and this page has it. When you want to know what's happening down there, all you need to do is come here. If we're missing something, please let us know.
Danger Zone
The location of the facility is an active construction zone, with work crews and heavy equipment operating. There will be temporary closures of road access to the beach, and closures and detours on some trails in the old golf course lands. Road and trail changes are clearly marked. For your own safety, we ask you to please stay clear of the site.
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Another way to follow the project is to subscribe to our regular updates. Just click on the Stay Informed button and you'll receive the newsletter in your email inbox on a monthly basis.
There's a lot of activity going on near First Beach right now and it won't stop until 2022. Powell River's new $76 million Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant is underway with construction of the outfall.
With things swinging into motion, there's going to be a steady flow of information coming from City Hall and this page has it. When you want to know what's happening down there, all you need to do is come here. If we're missing something, please let us know.
Danger Zone
The location of the facility is an active construction zone, with work crews and heavy equipment operating. There will be temporary closures of road access to the beach, and closures and detours on some trails in the old golf course lands. Road and trail changes are clearly marked. For your own safety, we ask you to please stay clear of the site.
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Another way to follow the project is to subscribe to our regular updates. Just click on the Stay Informed button and you'll receive the newsletter in your email inbox on a monthly basis.
We invite you to ask your questions here about the new wastewater treatment plant.
What do you want to know?
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Why put the pipeline through Willingdon Beach trail?
CJSB asked 4 months agoThanks for your question! To answer, please refer to the report on the Selection of Conveyance Route from Westview to the new Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plan. The report is also available in the Documents Library.
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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 about 1 year agoContracts 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.
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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 about 1 year agoWe 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.
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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 about 1 year agoThe 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.
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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 about 1 year agoStudies 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.
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Would love to add my hand putting murals on it!
catnip asked about 1 year agoCatnip - 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.
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When is the design completion phase expected to be complete? Will there be any progress updates before it's complete?
badkaren asked about 1 year agoThe 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Go here to see FAQs.
Memorandum - CWWTP Queries Report to October 13, 2020 Committee of the Whole responding to correspondence and delegations regarding the CWWTP.
What's happened so far?
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Pubic Engagement
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageFebruary, 2011 - A joint technical-local advisory committee directed staff to develop a comprehensive community public consultation process in advance of site selection for the new WWTP.
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Letter from BC Government
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageJune, 2011 - A letter from the Government of BC Minister of Environment, Mary Polak, was delivered to the City. The letter read in part:
"I commend the city on its success in developing a comprehensive plan for the long-term management of solid waste. I am satisfied that the direction and the commitments in the liquid waste management plan are supportable and the public and first nations review and consultation process meets ministry requirements."
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Plan Finalized
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageMarch 2015 - As mandated by the provincial Ministry of Environment, City Council approved a consolidated wastewater treatment plan for submission to the ministry. A town hall meeting was scheduled to complete the public consultation plan.
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Initial Design Phase Funding
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageMarch 2017 - The City received $3.3 million toward the initial design phase of the WWTP. The Government of Canada contributed half of the full amount and the Government of BC provided a third. The City was responsible for the remaining 17 per cent of the cost, or roughly $680,000.
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Land Purchase
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageFebruary 2017 - The City approved a location for the new facility, with $575,000 from the city’s sewer-reserve fund to go toward purchasing two 10-acre lots at and around the existing Townsite treatment plant and wastewater outfall.
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Plan Approval
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageFebruary 2018 - Council approved a consolidated WWTP that will bring the City into compliance with federal and provincial environment regulations.
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Design Approval
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageFebruary 2018 - Council approved the natural integration theme for the design of the WWTP.
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Environmental Assessment
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageApril 2018 - An 80-page environmental impact study by the City's project consultants, Associated Engineering, was released on the outfall from the WWTP into the Georgia Strait (Salish Sea).
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Selection of Conveyance Route from Westview to the new Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageApril 2018 - From a report recommending Council proceed to the detailed design phase of the conveyance infrastructure through selection of the preferred route from Westview to the new CWWTP.
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Public Engagement
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageMay 2018
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Federal Government Warnings
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageAugust 2018 - The City received three separate warning letters from the Government of Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada about Powell River's failure to comply with regulations. It's the first time the City was notified by the federal government regarding contraventions with the wastewater system effluent regulations. Continued non-compliance could lead to fines of between $5,000 to $6 million a day.
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Funding Approved
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageAugust 2019 - The City was awarded $30,400,000 from the Government of Canada and $25,330,800 from the Government of British Columbia for a total of $55,730,800 in funding to build a new WWTP. The City's investment is $24,069,200.
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Notice of Intention to Apply for a Disposition of Crown Land
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageJuly 2020
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Canadian Navigable Waters Act - Notice of Application
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageJuly 2020 - The City of Powell River hereby gives notice that an application has been made to the Minister of Transport, pursuant to the Canadian Navigable Waters Act for approval of the work described herein and its site and plans.
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Oversight Services Contract Approved
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageJuly 2020 - City Council approved the recommendation to the Wastewater Treatment Plant Construction Oversight Services Contract to Associated Engineering for up to $4,333,994. Oversight Services Contract.
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CWWTP - Clearing and Site Preparation and Treated Effluent Outfall Contracts
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant has finished this stageClearing and Site Preparation
September 2020 - The City of Powell River is issuing an invitation-only tender for Contractors to provide clearing and grubbing services for the Powell River Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant (CWWTP). The work will include clearing of vegetation, grubbing of stumps and roots, protection of heritage trees, installation of fences, construction of temporary walkway paths, and execution of an erosion and sediment control plan.
Bid Closing Time 4:00 pm (PDT), Tuesday, September 29, 2020.
Local Contractors were notified, and RFT is posted on City website at:
https://powellriver.ca/pages/bid-opportunities
Treated Effluent Outfall
September 2020 - The City of Powell River is issuing an invitation-only tender for Contractors to provide the work for the construction of the outfall approximately 800 m long of 900 mm diameter HDPE pipe comprised of 650 m off-shore, outfall diffusers, precast concrete ballasts, an outfall manhole, and temporary service connections.
Bidders are requested to attend a mandatory information session (virtual presentation) scheduled for Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020 at 10:30 a.m., local time.
Bid Closing Time 2:00 pm (PDT), Tuesday, October 6, 2020.
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Construction of Outfall Begins
Consolidated Wastewater Treatment Plant is currently at this stageNovember 2020 -
The timeline for the outfall construction is currently scheduled between December 1, 2020 and February 15, 2021.
The outfall will discharge treated effluent into the Salish Sea. We will be treating and disinfecting 100 per cent of the effluent prior to discharging to the outfall once the facility is completed as per provincial and federal regulations.
Photos
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CWWTP - Clearing and Site Preparation
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cwwtp_fig_2_trails_revc_20201027.jpg
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COMPLETED: Clearing, grubbing, silt fencing and site preparation of the laydown area, indicated by yellow.
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COMPLETED: Site preparation of the outfall site indicated by the yellow boundary, including clearing, grubbing, silt fencing.
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Conceptual Design: Natural Integration Theme
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