Engineer presents council with project updates

May 21, 2015 · 0 Comments

Jamie Witherspoon of WSP Engineering presented the Town of Shelburne with an update on current mandates at the May 11th Council meeting. Projects included the Wastewater Treatment and Capacity; Well No. 7; and the Sister Streets project.

The report on the wastewater treatment and capacity system detailed the status of current projects including capacity allocation. Witherspoon reported that a review of the flow data over the past five years indicates a decrease in wastewater flow despite an increase in population of more than 1,500 in that time period. WSP says this downward trend is a “function of the Town’s implementation of water metering for all users, ongoing renewal of the infrastructure…and the addition of development that continues to become more efficient in terms of water consumption.”

WSP identified the primary items of serious concern at the wastewater treatment plant to be the back-up generator, which is over 30 years old and requiring significant off-site maintenance; structural deficiencies on the south side of the building; and tertiary sand filters which have reached the end of their useful life and cannot be taken out of service for maintenance without loss of plant capacity. WSP is predicting that costs for the design and tertiary filter upgrades and implementation will likely be in excess of $500,000 and is currently preparing a proposal for the implementation of the upgrades required.

A fisheries assessment completed to support the assimilative capacity study for the wastewater treatment plant showed some good results with the study area supporting fish species sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. WSP anticipates that “through further employment of mitigation measures to improve effluent quality, such as measures to cool effluent prior to discharge…the effluent will not alter existing habitat conditions.”

However, the engineer reported that flow upstream of the confluence of the Besley Drain and the Boyne was negligible with the majority of the flow in August of 2014 related to the effluent from the Shelburne Wastewater Treatment Plant. Witherspoon’s report noted, “This is not a great result as it does not allow for any allowance for dilution of the wastewater and will require a very high level of treatment for any expanded system.” Shelburne’s CAO, John Telfer commented that the Town was a “good steward now, but needed to be a better steward with more capacity” for growth.

The design for Well No. 7 Supply Treatment Facility and Well 5/6 Blending System is “currently out for Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change approvals.” The tender, issued May 11th, is closing in early June with a substantial completion date of December 2015. Witherspoon reported that design changes were impacting the projected costs of the system with an $85,000 increase over previous estimates. Well 7 Supply and Water Main contract was awarded to Avertex in early spring and excavation and installation work has now begun.

According to the WSP report, the Sister Streets project, involving Willow Street, Ann, Muriel, Susan and Cedar Street, as well as Owen Sound Street, is part of the “ongoing infrastructure renewal project with the objective of addressing aging water infrastructure, and improving fireflow within the community.” The estimated cost for the work is $3.9 million. Construction is scheduled to start sometime in August with a public information centre proposed for June 8th in the foyer of Grace Tipling Hall.

By Marni Walsh