Sewage Lagoon Wetland

This project was a direct result of recommendations from GMEF 2548. It addressed the fact that due to problems with the sewage lagoons, the municipality needed to upgrade its sewage facilities to meet or exceed effluent criteria and to ensure that the sewage works did not have a detrimental effect on the environment. The funded project was designed to exceed provincial guidelines by constructing a subsurface flow wetland, which acted as a natural purifier and a viable way to provide wastewater treatment. The approach provided a low cost and low maintenance solution without sacrificing effluent quality. The township planned to continue using its existing lagoons and phosphorous treatment facilities, but the way it used them was modified to incorporate the wetlands as tertiary treatment for improved effluent. The township placed its two cell sewage lagoons in a series before the wetland to improve retention of solids in the lagoons. A four-hectare Subsurface Flow System Wetland was constructed and used to polish the effluent from the lagoons. This technology was expected to benefit rural communities due to the passive nature of the operation and its cost-effectiveness where land was available. The township collaborated with the University of Guelph to ensure access to specialist research in wetland technology and related fields.

(Project description from original funding application)