WWTP Project Update - September 2021

At the July 19 Regular Council meeting, City Council approved an amended budget for the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) project. The revised budget for this project is now $51.17M, which is the largest project ever undertaken by the City of Camrose. City Council also made a motion to negotiate a construction contract with the low bidder, Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd. (MRCL).

Following negotiations between late July and early September, on September 10^th the City and MRCL finalized and signed the construction contract for the planned upgrades. The total value of the negotiated contract is approximately $43.37M. In addition to the contractor’s cost, the remaining budget will be used to cover existing design and tendering costs, as well as future costs for construction inspection and material testing, commissioning and post-construction engineering services, internal City costs, as well as an allowance to cover unforeseen changes that may arise during construction.

During the week of Sept 13, Camrose started to see equipment moving onto the site. Over the course of the next few weeks, MRCL will be moving staff and equipment to Camrose to start work on the project. On Friday, Sept 24, the City is planning an official “sod turning” event to commemorate the start of this project. We are keeping the event small to allow for COVID prevention measures but we are excited to launch this major project.

Construction on this project will begin immediately, and will continue for the next two years. Currently, the construction completion date is October 2023. Once construction is complete, the City will work with MRCL and the design engineer (Associated Engineering) to commission the upgraded WWTP processes.

Citizens will be seeing a lot of construction activity over a large area, and at a number of distinct locations. A few of the key construction areas will include:

1. Upgrades near the City’s main sewage pumping station (located in the Camrose Creek valley, at the west end of Township Road 464 (west of 50 Street)
   • Most of the construction activities in this area will be happening between September 2021 and May 2022. During part of this time (Sept to Dec 2021), the grass cross-country trails located south of the pump station will be closed to the public.
   • Once the trails are re-opened to the Camrose Ski Club and the general public, the contractor will continue work inside and immediately around the pump station building.
2. In order for the contractor to access the main sewage pumping station and other areas of the project site, a portion of Township Road 464 (west of 50 Street) will see significant construction traffic.
   • As a result, temporary parking bans will be imposed along this section of the road, which is where people sometimes park to access the Camrose Creek trails. These parking bans may happen off and on throughout the duration of the project (Sept 2021 to Oct 2023).
3. The main construction activities will be happening closer to the existing blower building located near the south end of 50 Street (just north of Township Road 463, which is the road that leads to the entrances of the outdoor shooting ranges and the Camrose Regional Landfill).
   • Construction in this area will be happening over the entire duration of the project (September 2021 to October 2023). During this time, the City does not anticipate any major disruptions to the public, although there will be significant construction traffic going in and out of the site at this location.
4. As part of the project, the contractor will be deepening one of the existing treated wastewater storage lagoons. This is to provide additional storage capacity as the City continues to grow in the future.
   • Work on this area will happen between September 2021 and June 2022, and will proceed without any major impact to the public. However, these construction activities will impact the times when the outdoor shooting ranges can be used (biathlon, trap and skeet). The City has already been in contact with the Camrose Ski Club and the Camrose Shooting Sports Association to discuss the impact that this will have on their operations.
   • Material that is removed from the deepened storage lagoon will be used on a variety of locations around the WWTP project. Excess material will be stockpiled at the Camrose Regional Landfill for use on future landfill projects. Because of the hauling operations, a section of trail located between the landfill and the outdoor ranges will be closed to the public (the west extension of Township Road 463, west of Range Road 203).

If residents have questions or concerns about the WWTP project, they should bring them to the attention of the City’s Engineering Services department.