Siting History

January 2010

Our strategy for the core area's liquid waste management plan amendment, which will include siting, was completed at the end of 2009, at which time a plan was presented to the provincial government. The strategy, outlined in Amendment 7, serves as the blueprint that will guide the CRD as it moves forward with the design, building and operation of sewage treatment facilities for the Core Area municipalities.

Read more about siting in the West Shore and Saanich East.

October-December 2009

Option 1A

At the October 7, 2009 Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee meeting, the Committee decided to pursue Option 1A as the desired system architecture. The Liquid Waste Management Plan Amendment will be submitted to the Ministry by December 31, 2009, with a subsequent submission on the West Shore.

September 2009

On September 23, 2009 the Core Area Liquid Waste Management Committee voted in favour of proceeding with Option 1A as the preferred system configuration, with 1B being retained as a backup configuration in the event that land acquisition is unsuccessful for 1A. Further research will be done using a triple bottom line analysis, including an assessment of biosolids integration with solid waste activities and functions.

In adopting this option into the wastewater management strategy for the Core Area, the committee will be reviewing the following components:

Improvement of inflow and infiltration management to defer or eliminate the wet weather facility at Clover Point
Siting the solids processing separate from the liquid processing site to allow potential integration with solid waste activities and functions; solids processing could take place at an energy centre in the upper Victoria Harbour or at Hartland landfill
Further development of the biosolids management plan to reduce operational risks associated with biosolids end uses
A siting decision for the Saanich East-North Oak Bay treatment plant
Opportunities for heat recovery and water reuse with the University of Victoria and various markets in the Core Area
Continued evaluation of the financial and rate impacts of the costs and revenues, including revenues and/or carbon tax benefits of resource recovery and use for each option

What are the main differences between Option 1A and 1B?

Both variations have a common theme of operating facilities in Saanich East-North Oak Bay and McLoughlin Point. Option 1A would also see a plant in the West Shore area as well as the possible elimination of the Clover Point wet weather facility. The differences for each variation are in the particular functions and scope of each site. The table below distinguishes the main differences between each option.

Option	Area	Description
1A	Saanich East-North Oak Bay	A liquids stream only wastewater treatment plant located in Saanich East-North Oak Bay with a new outfall into Haro Strait.
	Clover Point	With improvements to inflow and infiltration storm water overflow infrastructure and flow attenuation, a wet weather facility at this location could be eliminated. Wet weather treatment facility for flows between 2-4x dry weather flow, and screening for flows above 4x dry weather flows for discharge through the existing outfall to the Strait of Juan de Fuca would continue.
	McLoughlin Point	A liquids treatment plant located at McLoughlin Point.
	Upper Victoria Harbour	A biosolids management facility/energy centre located in Upper Victoria Harbour.
	West Shore	A liquids and solids processing treatment plant.
1B	Saanich East-North Oak Bay	Same as 1A.
	Clover Point	Same as 1A.
	McLoughlin Point (or Macaulay Point)	No major secondary treatment plant at the McLoughlin Site. Wet Weather primary treatment plant located at the existing Macaulay site for wet weather flows between 2-4x average dry weather flows, and screening for flows above 4x dry weather flows. Pipeline used to convey up to 2x dry weather flow to South Colwood.
	West Shore	Major secondary Treatment plant located in South Colwood rather than at McLoughlin Point.

The Principal Components of Option 1A

Saanich East-North Oak Bay Plant

A liquids stream only wastewater treatment plant would be located in Saanich East with a new outfall into Haro Strait. The plant would include preliminary settling tanks, and a secondary treatment suspended growth bioreactor and membrane tank. Sludges from the facility would be transported by sewer for processing at the downstream Biosolids Energy Centre. Treated effluent from the Saanich East plant would be of a quality suitable for water reuse. In addition, thermal energy could be recovered from the wastewater.

McLoughlin Point Plant

A liquids treatment plant would be located at McLoughlin Point and include preliminary treatment, and a biological aerated filter design secondary treatment. No space would be available for biosolids processing due to site size limitations. Biosolids would be pumped to a local Biosolids Energy Centre in the Upper Victoria Harbour. The treatment plant would also be able to produce 12 million litres per day of reclaimed water.

West Shore Plant

Option 1A would also include a consolidated liquids and solids processing treatment plant using conventional activated sludge treatment with the ability to produce six million litres of reclaimed water per day.

Clover Point Plant

The Clover Point Facility is planned as an underground wet weather facility

The requirement for a wet weather treatment plant at Clover Point is under review with the Ministry of Environment. Significant costs of $68.5 million would be better spent on collection system improvements to reduce inflow and infiltration. If required, a compact Actiflow design would operate only during wet weather conditions, when flows were in excess of 2.0 times dry weather flow, and discharge through the outfall to Juan de Fuca Strait. Solids removed from the treated wet weather stream would be passed on to the McLoughlin Point plant for processing.

Components of Option 1B that differ from Option 1A

A major secondary treatment plant and solids processing would be located in South Colwood rather than at McLoughlin Point.

In Option 1B, the West Shore plant would be a conventional, high rate non-nitrifying activated sludge plant rather than a membrane bioreactor plant. It would also incorporate conventional primary clarification rather than chemically enhanced primary clarification.

An underwater pipeline would be used to convey 2.0 times average dry weather flow to the gravel pit site
A wet weather treatment plant would be located at Macaulay site (no plant located at the McLoughlin site) for wet weather flows of 2.0 to 4.0 times average dry weather flow

Biosolids/Organic Energy Centre

Macaulay Point

Current research on the biosolids management will allow for maximum beneficial reuse of biosolids through energy recovery and beneficial reuse. It would see biosolids co-digested with food waste or fats, oils and grease (FOG) and dried for use as a coal substitute for a cement kiln; resources from this portion would include biogas, biomethane and heat. Following digestion, biosolids could also be dewatered and used as a soil amendment, and applied to willow coppice farms as a pilot project. Struvite recovery would be included as part of the anaerobic digestion process. Future possibilities could include the management of solid and liquid waste streams in an integrated energy centre.

Next Steps

The CRD will be engaging the public through Fall 2009. Continued research by consultants will help the CRD Board in making a sustainable decision on the distributed treatment options.

Siting Schedule

Siting work will be conducted in three phases:

Phases 1 and 3 will have public consultation components
In Phase 1, sites will be identified and subjected to an initial assessment
In Phase 2, detailed environmental and social reviews will be prepared
In Phase 3 the public will have a final opportunity to provide their input before the report is completed

Phase 1 - Site Identification & Initial Environmental & Social Reviews

The path forward

During Phase 1, site selection criteria were developed to help determine potentially suitable locations for wastewater treatment facilities in the West Shore and in Saanich East-North Oak Bay. These decentralized facilities will help reduce overall wastewater treatment costs and will offer enhanced opportunities for resource reuse. The siting criteria were reviewed by the Core Area Liquid Waste Management committee (CALWMC), the Technical and Community Advisory committee (TCAC), CRD staff, municipal planning staff, managers of major institutions, First Nations and the public. Based on comments from these groups, the selection criteria were revised and are now organized under the following topics:

Ecological suitability (ecological features and disturbances and major streams)
Land use compatibility (land use and odour)
Archaeological and heritage features
Geotechnical constraints
Energy conservation
Future opportunities for water reuse and energy recovery

Maps

Data on the siting criteria were collected from published sources, interviews and field inspections. Using this information, an analysis was performed that rated suitability of land areas for a treatment facility. This analysis produced 12 maps, showing site suitability for each site selection topic. The maps can be viewed on the Siting Details & Criteria page.

Phase 2 - Detailed Environmental & Social Review & Site Selection

Following a public review of the Phase 1 analysis and selection of the selected sites, Phase 2 of the project will conduct an in-depth analysis of potential effects of facility construction and operation. This review will identify and assess potential environmental and social impacts and recommend mitigation measures to avoid or minimize these impacts. The detailed reviews will cover a wide range of topics, including physical, biological, community, aesthetic, traffic and economic effects.

Phase 3 - Public Involvement & Report Completion

The results of the detailed environmental and social reviews will be presented to the public and First Nations for their input. Comments received will be taken into account in the final evaluation of the selected sites.

We want to know what you think View our library of documentation

Wastewater Amendment 7

On December 14, 2009 the Capital Regional District submitted Amendment No. 7 to the Core Area Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP).

Amendment No. 7 replaces 11 of the 17 chapters of the current LWMP and addresses the physical infrastructure model, selected resource recovery options, site locations, site assessments, results of environmental impact studies for each new discharge location, draft operational certificates for facility discharge locations, Class B detailed capital and operating costs, and public and First Nations consultation summary reports.