WWTP Project Update - April 2023

Summary of Recent Work Completed

1. Pumping upgrades
   • Refurbishment of the first two of the existing four pumps within the South Lift Station (SLS). This work will help to ensure the ongoing performance of the pumps into the future.
   • Preparation for health and safety enhancements within the facility (including improved access for City staff to the facility’s wet well). Public Works has been working closely with the City’s contractor (Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd., MRCL) on these tasks.
2. Treatment upgrades
   • Meter for natural gas service was installed by ATCO Gas. MRCL is now using natural gas for the duration of the construction phase of this project. The City will back-charge MRCL for any natural gas costs incurred during construction. This will happen once the project is substantially complete and the facility has been handed over to the City for ongoing operations.
   • Exterior finishes are largely complete for main Process Building, including installation of exterior man-doors and overhead doors. Interior finishes ongoing, including drywall, taping/mudding and painting of interior partition walls. Ongoing installation of all major process equipment (valves, flow meters, chemical dosing systems, mixers, etc.) and building mechanical equipment (HVAC units, ceiling fans, etc.). Start of installation of the building’s major electrical equipment.
   • Completion of Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) tanks, including leak testing of the influent and effluent flow channels and of the MBBR lift station. Process equipment (pumps, piping, valves, flow meter, etc.) within MBBR lift station largely complete. Ongoing installation of aeration piping within MBBR tanks. Completing installation of permanent handrails around the structure, and of the north staircase.
   • Start of delivery of the MBBR media to the project site, with over 50% of the media currently on site. The media will be installed within the MBBR tanks this summer.
   • Preparation for remaining upgrades to treatment lagoon Cells “A” and “B”. This will include removal of existing 30+ year old aeration equipment, removal of accumulated sludge, and installation of new aeration equipment. These tasks will occur between May and September.
   • Preparation for remaining site works (removal of temporary construction roads, final grading, road construction, landscaping, etc.), which will be completed between May and July.
3. Storage upgrades, including landfill clay stockpile (project #1020)
   • Completed the majority of hauling of clay material to a new stockpile at the Camrose Regional Sanitary Landfill. Some minor movement of clay in and out of the landfill stockpile will continue throughout 2023 until final site grading work at the main WWTP site is complete.
   • Notwithstanding the remaining site grading work at the WWTP site, all work related to the Landfill Clay Purchase project is now effectively complete.
4. Final landscaping, construction of parking lot and trail access, etc.
   • Additional meetings with the local gun clubs to finalize the plan for the construction of a new trail access / parking lot. This work will be completed in May and June.
   • Finalized design for new municipal addressing sign for the main WWTP property. Sign fabrication ongoing.
5. General requirements
   • Ongoing payments as outlined in the General Requirements portion of the contract.

Summary of Upcoming Work

Based on MRCL’s latest work plan, the following is a summary of the main activities that will occur, as well as the anticipated timelines for each activity. Administration has organized this summary using the same categories as noted above:

All work related to the Landfill Clay Purchase project is effectively complete. MRCL will continue to move clay in/out of the stockpile as needed for final grading at the main WWTP site.

The WWTP upgrades are planned to be substantially complete by November 2023, with final cleanup of work being completed in the spring of 2024. The November timeframe is later than what required in the City’s contract with MRCL, which specifies a Substantial Completion date of the end of October 2023. Unfortunately, this date was pushed back as a result of delivery delays for major pieces of electrical equipment (the Motor Control Centres or MCCs). The City and its consultant (Associated Engineering, AE) are working closely with MRCL to minimize the impact of this equipment delivery delay on the overall project, and to ensure that this delay will not adversely impact the start-up procedures and the ongoing performance of the WWTP at the end of this project.

Current Financial Status of Projects, including Approved Scope Changes

The following is a summary of the approved budgets and current / projected spending for the WWTP and landfill clay purchase projects.

As noted in the following tables, the City has spent over $33,293,000 on the WWTP project to date. The remaining WWTP project expenses will be realized by the spring of 2024.

As well, the Camrose Regional Solid Waste Authority – for which the City acts as Administrator – has spent over $1,551,000 on the Landfill Clay Purchase project to date. As this project is now substantially complete, any further invoices from MRCL or from the City’s consultant (AE) will be billed entirely to the WWTP Upgrade project.

The next planned Council update for this project will be in July 2023. Full details from this recent update to Council can be found in the April 24, 2023, Committee of the Whole Agenda.