Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)

Have you noticed something in the air? The construction of the new Wastewater Treatment Plant involves completely replacing the aeration system in the treatment lagoons. A higher number of odor issues are expected this summer as we take the old system offline and put in the new system. This work is likely to take until the end of August, however, the new system will improve treatment and odor issues in the long run!

Article by Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster

On July 6 City of Camrose Councillors Agnes Hoveland, Kevin Hycha, Lucas Banack and Don Rosland, joined City of Camrose Infrastructure General Manager Kris Johnson, Engineering Services Manager Jeremy Enarson and Engineering Services Assistant Kirsten Nichols, started the process of putting the Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor or MBBR media plastic discs into the large concrete holding tanks of the new Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).

“The main unloading of the over 630 million media will be completed by the WWTP main contractor starting in early to mid-July, continuing over the next six weeks,” explained Enarson.

The discs are placed in the tanks as an integral part of the process to remove ammonia from the city’s wastewater.

“The plastic discs will be circulating around in the tanks while bacteria grow on the surfaces of the discs. When the discs come in contact with the wastewater, the bacteria will digest the ammonia, therefore reducing the amount of ammonia in the city’s treated wastewater. To help speed along this process, the City will be pumping air into the wastewater using blowers, which will provide both mixing of the plastic discs, as well as the oxygen that the bacteria will need to digest the ammonia.”

Enarson further explained why this process is vital. “The ammonia, if it gets out into the environment in high concentrations, can result in a fish kill. The result of what the City is doing with the MBBR plastic discs is lowering ammonia levels in treated wastewater, which will have less of an impact on the fish environment.”

The other important component of the Wastewater Treatment Plant is the removal of phosphorus which occurs in the main processing building.

“While phosphorus is not immediately toxic to fish, phosphorus and other nutrients can be released into the environment and that can lead to the algae blooms that you see on lakes which depletes the oxygen levels and that can kill fish over time. By removing phosphorus from the City’s wastewater, we are also improving the quality of what is released back to the environment.”

Upgrades to the City of Camrose Wastewater Treatment Plant began in 2021 with an expected timeline of completion in early 2024.

The proposed $51.1 million upgrades are intended to meet requirements for additional capacity and the need for higher treatment standards driven by regulations. This upgraded plant will provide cleaner water back into the watershed and give the community room to grow.

Pictured left to right are City of Camrose Councillors Lucas Banack and Kevin Hycha, City of Camrose Engineering Services Manager Jeremy Enarson, and Councillors Don Rosland and Agnes Hoveland doing the inaugural dropping of the MBBR plastic discs into the south MBBR holding tank of the new Wastewater Treatment Plant, on July 6.

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.

Manager of Engineering, Jeremy Enarson, and Communications Coordinator, Sara Walkey, were honoured to be guests at the Rotary Club meeting where Jeremy provided an in-depth update on the Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade.

We would be happy to answer any questions you have about this project so please contact our Engineering Department at 780.672.4428 or engineer@camrose.ca.

Summary of Recent Work Completed

1. Pumping upgrades
   • Delivery and installation of new back-up generator for the South Lift Station (SLS) facility. Once commissioned in Q1/Q2 of 2023, this generator will replace the existing ~30 year old generator which is located within the facility, while the former generator room in the SLS will be repurposed as the new electrical room for the facility.
2. Treatment upgrades
   • City fiber optic line adjacent to WWTP site was relocated to allow for final site grading and drainage improvements in 2023.
   • ATCO Gas completed extension of gas main along 50 Street to the WWTP site.
   • Fortis completed installation of new power service and transformer at WWTP site.
   • Delivery and installation of new back-up generator for the WWTP site. This generator will be connected and commissioned in Q1/Q2 of 2023.
   • Completed construction of new aerated treatment cell, Cell “C2”, including layout of new aeration piping within the cell. The aeration system within Cell “C2” will be commissioned in Q2 of 2023.
   • Removed sludge from treatment cell, Cell “C1” (formerly Cell “C”). Replaced aeration piping and diffusers within the cell. The aeration system is currently receiving air from the existing blowers, but will be switched over to the new blowers in the Process Building in Q2 of 2023.
   • Foundtions and concrete floor slab complete. Pre-engineered building erected. Installation of exterior wall panels ongoing. Interior concrete tankage / containment walls poured. Installation of interior partition walls ongoing. Various equipment installed (new aeration and MBBR blowers, disc filters, equipment for flocculation tanks, various pumps, valves, etc.). Start of installation of building mechanical ducting and equipment.
   • Completion of Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) tanks, including the influent and effluent flow channels on either side of the tanks. MBBR lift station construction to be complete by end of February. Installation of aeration equipment within the MBBR tanks ongoing.o Additional site works completed prior to freeze-up. Remaining site works to be completed in Q2 of 2023.
3. Storage upgrades, including landfill clay stockpile (project #1020)
   • Completed deepening of storage Cell “I”, and reconstructed clay liner within the cell. This work was completed in 2022, although some deficiency repairs planned in Q2 of 2023 prior to the storage cell being available for City use.
   • Completed the majority of the hauling of clay material to a new stockpile at the Camrose Regional Sanitary Landfill. Some minor movement of clay in and out of the stockpile will continue in early 2023 until final site grading work at the main WWTP site is complete.
4. Final landscaping, construction of parking lot and trail access, etc.
   • Admin met with the local gun clubs to review the current plans for this work. This meeting resulted in some changes to the proposed layout of the parking area and fencing improvements. This work will be completed in Q2 of 2023.
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 nearing completion, although 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 October 2023, with final cleanup of work being completed in the spring of 2024. This is unchanged from what was stated in prior updates.

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.

The next planned Council update for this project will be in April 2023. Full details from this recent update to Council can be found in the January 23, 2023, Committee of the Whole Agenda.

Summary of Recent Work Completed

1. Pumping upgrades
   • Construction of a second emergency overflow pond near the South Lift Station (SLS) to provide additional storage of untreated wastewater during major rainfall events.
   • Restoration of public trails that were disturbed during the above activity.
   • Replacement / upgrading of the pump and return pipe that transfers stored wastewater from the overflow ponds back into the SLS.
   • Construction of a concrete pad in preparation for supply of new back-up generator for the SLS.
2. Treatment upgrades
   • Initial construction of a new aerated treatment cell, Cell “C2”, by constructing a clay berm through storage Cell “E”. Removal of sludge from Cell “C2”. The new aeration equipment for treatment Cell “C2” is being installed this month.
   • Completed foundation and lower walls for the Process Building. Installation of process and electrical / mechanical pipes and conduit within the under-slab area of the Process Building. Pouring of the concrete floor slab. Erection of preengineered steel frame, walls and roof for building.
   • Completed construction of Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) tanks. Both tanks were recently tested for leakage. Aeration piping and diffusers to be installed in the MBBR tanks later this month.
   • Various yard pipe installations, site grading and drainage activities near the Process Building and MBBR tanks.
3. Storage upgrades, including landfill clay stockpile (project #1020)
   • Completed hauling of clay material from treated wastewater storage Cell “I” to the Camrose Regional Sanitary Landfill, as well as to other sites on the WWTP site and near the SLS. Excess clay material to be placed in landfill stockpile this fall as grading activities at main WWTP are completed.
   • Completed deepening of storage Cell “I”, and reconstructed clay liner within the cell. Replacement of damaged drain pipe between Cells “H” and “I” and the City’s main lagoon discharge pipe. Storage cells are now available for the City’s use.
4. Final landscaping, construction of parking lot and trail access, etc.
   • No work completed to date. This work will be completed in later stages of the project.
5. General requirements
   • Ongoing payments as outlined in the General Requirements portion of the contract.

Summary of Upcoming Work

Based on Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd.’s (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 substantially complete, although MRCL will continue to move clay in/out of the stockpile as needed throughout the remainder of the WWTP project. The WWTP upgrades are planned to be substantially complete by October 2023, with final cleanup of work being completed in the spring of 2024. This is unchanged from what was stated in prior updates.

Current Financial Status of Project

The following is a summary of the approved budgets and current / projected spending for the WWTP project.

The next planned Council update for this project will be in January 2023. Full details from this recent update to Council can be found in the October 17, 2022 Committee of the Whole Agenda.

Check out this explainer video which breaks down the whole Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade:

Summary of Upcoming Work

Based on Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd. (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.

At this time, Administration expects that all work related to the Landfill Clay Purchase project will be substantially complete by the fall of 2022. The WWTP upgrades are planned to be substantially complete by October 2023, with final cleanup of work being completed in the spring of 2024. This is unchanged from what was stated in prior updates.

Current Financial Status of Projects

The following is a summary of the approved budgets and current / projected spending for the WWTP project.

The next planned Council update for this project will be in October 2022. Full details from this recent update to Council can be found in the July 18, 2022 Committee of the Whole Agenda.

Since starting their work in September 2021, Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd. (MRCL)’s time has largely been focused in the following areas:

1. Pumping upgrades
   • Installation of erosion protection along the east bank of Camrose Creek (needed to protect the existing and future emergency overflow ponds)
   • NOTE: Some of the City’s cross-country trails near the South Lift Station will be completely closed to the public between March and June 2022 in order to allow MRCL and their subcontractors to safely and efficiently complete their outside work near the SLS. The City has been in contact with the Camrose Ski Club regarding the planned trail closures, and MRCL will be erecting fences and signage to keep the public out of the area.
2. Treatment upgrades
   • Mobilization of site trailers, equipment and some materials to site
   • Various earthworks activities near the site of the new treatment facilities (topsoil stripping, importing clay, initial site grading, etc.)
   • Installation of some of the yard piping around the future treatment facilities
   • Initial earthworks within existing treated wastewater storage Cell “E” to split out the east portion of this cell for a new aerated treatment lagoon (Cell “C2”)
   • On February 14/2022, MRCL started to excavate the foundation for the Process Building, which will house most of the new equipment related to the treatment processes (blowers, chemical storage / dosing equipment, filters, plus associated electrical and building mechanical equipment, as well as a new wastewater laboratory and staff areas).
3. Storage upgrades, including landfill clay stockpile
   • Construction of temporary haul roads between treated wastewater storage Cell “I” and various other locations on the WWTP property, as well as to the Camrose Regional Sanitary Landfill.
   • Dewatering and removal of unsuitable material from within Cell “I”. Some of the unsuitable material was moved into a new stockpile location just west of the outdoor gun ranges (north of the landfill). This material will be made available to the Camrose Ski Club and to the Camrose Shooting Sports Association for improving safety features on their existing gun ranges (raising existing berms) or constructing new berms to expand their shooting operations.
   • Hauling of clay material from Cell “I” to the Camrose Regional Sanitary Landfill.

This project is proceeding on time and on budget. The City has spent over $10,172,000 on the WWTP project to date. As well, the City – on behalf of the Camrose Regional Solid Waste Authority, of which the City is a member and acts as Administrator – has spent over $536,000 on the Landfill Clay Purchase project to date. Most of the remaining expenses for the landfill project will be spent in 2022, whereas the remaining WWTP project expenses will be realized between 2022 and 2024.

Summary of Upcoming Work

MRCL provides regular updates to the City regarding the upcoming work schedule. Based on MRCL’s current work plan, the following is a summary of the main activities that will be happening for the WWTP and landfill clay projects, as well as the anticipated timelines for each activity.

1. Pumping upgrades

• Construction of new emergency overflow storage cell – March to June 2022
• Remaining improvements at / within South Lift Station – April 2022 to fall 2023

1. Treatment upgrades

• Expanding lagoon treatment capacity – January to November 2022, as well as April to August 2023
• Addition of Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) tankage and related infrastructure – April 2022 to March 2023
• Construction of Process Building – February 2022 to January 2023, including delivery & erection of pre-engineered steel building in June / July 2022.
• Remaining site improvements – November 2022 to June 2023

1. Storage upgrades, including landfill clay stockpile (project #1020)

• Expanding the City’s treated wastewater storage capacity within Cell “I” – October 2021 (ongoing) to July 2022
• Clay to landfill – October 2021 (ongoing) to July 2022

1. Final landscaping, construction of parking lot and trail access, etc. – July 2022 to spring 2024

At this time, the City expects that the WWTP upgrades will be substantially complete by October 2023, with final cleanup of work being completed in the spring of 2024. This is in line with the spending profile assumptions that were used in the amended 2021-2030 Capital Plan.

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.