District of Sechelt Innovative Wastewater Treatment Facility
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Capital Project
Sector
Water
Project value$25,657,720
Project Type
Capital Project
Sub Sector
Wastewater Management and Treatment
Grant amount$1,000,000
Program type
GMF
Municipality
District of Sechelt, BC
Loan amount$7,407,702
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
10,847
Project timeline
2013 - 2014
Project number
13005
Description
The District of Sechelt will build a new state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility designed to achieve LEED Gold certification which will incorporate tertiary treatment systems, and feature a new type of treatment that uses an organic plant-enhanced batch reactor called Organica. The facility will replace the district’s two existing wastewater treatment plants that are at the end of their useful lives, and at the limit of their effective capacity. The system will be the first of its kind to be used by a municipality in North America and will meet the new BC regulations for indirect potable water reuse, less than 5ppm for BOD and TSS, in addition to meeting the highest requirements for non-toxicity, turbidity and disinfection as well as federal requirements for ocean discharge. Reclaimed water will be available for parks and agricultural irrigation, enabling social and economic activity. The new plant will improve the handling of biosolids, which has led to odour problems for nearby residents under the current systems. It will operate at an initial capacity of 4,000 cubic meters per day, eventually reaching over 9,000 cubic meters per day as demand increases, and will use 54% less energy than the current system. The new facility will blend into its urban location and will include a wetland park to encourage residents to visit the facility. Another key feature is a partnership with a First Nations soil and composting company. The new facility will de-water the sludge which will then be taken to the compost facility where it will be mixed with local food, garden and wood waste, and composted into a Class A product. (Project description from original funding application)
Project results
- 11 tonnes of GHG emissions avoided
- 2817 GJ of energy savings per year
- 839849 cubic metres of water treated per year
- 13674 cubic metres of water saved per year
Environmental outcomes
- Reduced energy use
- Renewable energy generation
- Reduced or avoided GHG emissions
- Reduced water consumption
- Reduced noise pollution
- Reduced odour pollution
Social outcomes
- Improved availability and accessibility of information
- Improved public education or awareness
- Community revitalization
- Recognized as an exemplary project/municipality
- Increased civic engagement in community issues
Economic outcomes
- Innovative financing
- Increased tourism
- Increased business attraction
- Local business development or local economy stimulus
- Local spending/consumption
- Use of feasibility tools
- Capacity building or human capital development
Lessons learned
- Project planning and parameters
- Stakeholder and community engagement
- Council support/buy-in
- Communication & coordination
- Resources
Applicant
District of Sechelt, BC