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| Operations Director Richard Pucci provided some background on the city's plans for wastewater treatment in the community as part of Monday's Council session |
Providing that they find success with their quest for additional funding, the first step towards a wastewater treatment program for Prince Rupert will be set up in the Omenica area.
That was the overview from Director of Operations Richard Pucci on Monday evening as he charted the course forward for what would be a green initiative that could save the City significant amount of money, should the pilot project prove feasible and they expand on the test model.
As part of his presentation to Council the Operations Director detailed how the Omenica proposal is a pilot project of an innovative green wetland treatment concept and would cost approximately 6 million dollars, which would see the city seek funding of up to 4 million dollars for the work.
A grant amount which would reduce the required city investment significantly for the test project towards a larger wastewater solution that could cost upwards of 145 million dollars.
"As Council is aware we are looking to do a wetland treatment system for our sewage. This is a green innovative solution and we are doing a pilot program below the Omenica area and we would be taking the lift station off line and doing a little wetland down there and then monitoring the results.
We believe that the cost of this is just over six million dollars ... and we would be going to the government for four million and thirty thousand dollars. This would significantly decrease the amount of capital that the taxpayer is asked to come up with. So It would reduce our complement from the city to about one and half million dollars which fits within our approved budget" -- Operations Director Richard Pucci
Some of the background to his presentation was included in the Agenda as part of report to Council for their review on the night.
In follow notes to the Operations Director's presentation, the Council members spoke enthusiastically for the proposal, Councillor Niesh asking towards the first pilot project and if it could be expandable further in the neighbourhood. He was advised that it was possible to expand it following an initial assessment period.
Mr Niesh also asked to future cost for the expansion, with Mr Pucci noting there would be some additional cost, adding that the city was due to replace the existing pump station at the Omenica area which is why they selected that area for the pilot project.
"The pilot program is just for the approximately 100 homes that are there, but we would have it so that it is scaleable and expandable up to take a bigger area. So what we want to do is ensure that the technology and the treatment works so we want to run it for one year and monitor the results and make sure that it works before we expand that area. But yes it can be expandable in that area.
It would be a small increase, the reason why the cost of this pilot program is so high is because of the challenges with the grade and the challenges with the area where it is. We chose to do this site just because we were ready to invest in Omenica pump station. So that pump station would have taken about half a million to 750 thousand dollars to revamp, it's one our oldest ones in our arsenal.
So we decided to use this as our pilot program ... plus it feeds all gravity to that area. So a large portion of the cost to develop this pilot program is the access cost, so once those are done once then they won't be incurred again" -- Operations Director Richard Pucci
Councillor Mirau asked for more background on the timeline of the initial pilot project phase and how it fits into any legislative obligations from the Federal government, with the Operations Director noting of the ongoing engagement with senior levels of government towards remaining compliant with the program outline.
Councillor Skelton-Morven offered his praise for the project noting of some of its attributes and thank Mr. Pucci for his work on the file.
Councillor Cunningham called the project a great idea and then followed up with a question on how it would be expanded after the initial phase. In reply Mr. Pucci provided an overview as to how it would be expanded if the pilot project is a success.
"Yes so what we have done, is a feasibility study that shows that there would be eleven of these areas throughout the community, eleven of these wetland areas that would be able to treat all of the waste from our community.
These eleven areas would be situated in current green spaces and in areas that will almost serve as park like and these areas are marshes but they don't have any smell, they don't have any visual signs of waste they're a system that are covered so there is no waste coming through.
But we've designed them and we have the feasibility that they will be implemented in our green spaces throughout the community" -- Operations Director Richard Pucci
The Operations Director also followed up with some thoughts on how similar styles of the treatment plan for Prince Rupert are being implemented noting how the city's project would be the largest one to date for the West Coast.
Though for the sake of comparisons, he didn't provide any background as to which communities have taken the green approach and what they may have found from their own efforts towards the challenges of wastewater facility development.
Councillor Cunningham concluded his commentary by observing how he thought the plan was great work and would save the City a significant amount of money in the long run calling it a windfall for the city.
Councillor Rahdhawa also shared his enthusiasm for the project. Councillor Skelton-Morven returned to the discussion to note how the city's development plan was an enterprising and forward thinking program.
"Right now with the way that things are set up at this point the outflow is going to the ocean, so for us to have a slow release versus just completely compiling everything into the ocean as with other communities and municipalities that are also on the coast. I think for Rupert to continue to be a municipality that remains extremely enterprising and forward thinking and it's just kind of a testament to our leadership team and our staff" -- Councillor Reid Skelton-Morven
Mayor Brain commented on the difference in proposed costs between a traditional treatment program and the City's proposed development, noting that if it is proven feasible it would a savings of 120 million dollars for the community, Mr. Pucci suggested that the number may be closer to 75 million.
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| The cost of a waste water facility for Prince Rupert was estimated to be in the range of 175 million plus back in 2018 |
The Mayor concluded his thoughts noting how he believes it is a great solution for the city and recounted how it fits into the work on the city's complete water program. He also suggested that the city put together a video presentation for the public to view to help provide them with a look at the work ahead.
"I think this is a great solution to this problem, I mean when we were kind of first getting started with the water supply in 2015, I mean the grants that are available are usually the same grant money, waste and water are usually the same. So we obviously chose water supply as the first endeavour to move on.
And now you know it's almost a blessing in disguise that this solution has come now, because now this is the time to start moving forward with the waste treatment, so I think it's great that you've discovered this.
And I think what we might want to do is maybe have some information for the public, I've sat through a presentation on the technology what this really is and obviously what it does.
But I think it would be interesting, not necessarily a rush, but at sometime this year a video or something that comes out to the public that explains what these engineering wetlands kind of look like, what the technology is, make sure that the Q and A is kind of answered about what that is, especially if we do get the grant money and start engaging residents on the long term solution.
Because obviously this will be many still, many years still in the future for this is to all be completed, most likely this next eight year stint will be this next project. But it's finally starting to happen and we commend you guys for getting this to this point now " -- Mayor Lee Brain
The prospect of a relay of more information for the community would be a welcome thing, as so far, only the Council members seem to be in the loop as to what the green initiative would offer as a solution and what it would look like.
On Tuesday, The City provided a short snap shot of some of the key points from Mr. Pucci's presentation towards the wastewater project.
Council had previously endorsed the proposed pilot project back in March of 2021, which was the first time that the Operations Director had come looking for a request to explore grant funding opportunities.
The city had received 87,000 dollars towards the feasibility study on the plan back in December of 2020.
Mr. Pucci's presentation and the follow up Q and A can be explored from the City's Video Archive starting at the seven minute mark.
More notes on Monday's Council session can be explored from our Council Timeline.
Further background on the city's Major projects files can be reviewed here.
While a wider overview of past Council Discussion themes can be examined here.
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