Wastewater Treatment Facility
A new wastewater treatment facility is needed for Lloydminster to comply with Canadian environmental effluent water-quality requirements, which came into effect on July 1, 2017. The existing wastewater treatment system was established more than 30 years ago, and the facility can no longer be updated to meet current federal and provincial regulations.
In April 2017, Lloydminster City Council passed a motion officially naming the wastewater treatment plan as its No. 1 infrastructure priority. This project will remain the City of Lloydminster’s highest priority until requirements are fulfilled.
In mid 2019, the City of Lloydminster was successful in securing an $80-million four-party funding agreement between the Government of Saskatchewan, the Government of Alberta, the Government of Canada and the City of Lloydminster to build a new wastewater treatment facility.
Planning for the new facility began in earnest in January 2020 when selected project vendors came together to familiarize with the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model and form the Project Management Team (PMT).
Construction of a new plant will have significant social and environmental benefits, not only for the current and future generations of Lloydminster, but also for the downstream cities, towns, villages and Indigenous communities that rely on the North Saskatchewan River for drinking water and recreation.
Wastewater explained
Wastewater is any water that has been affected by humans used in a home, business, or industrial process. It is disposed of through sinks, toilets and drains entering the City’s sewer system, which flows to the wastewater treatment facility where it is treated to remove contaminants before returning it to the North Saskatchewan River.
In April 2017, Lloydminster City Council passed a motion officially naming the wastewater treatment plant as the municipality’s top infrastructure priority. Construction of a new plant will have significant social and environmental benefits, not only for the current and future generations of Lloydminster, but also for the downstream cities, towns, villages and Indigenous communities that rely on the North Saskatchewan River for drinking water and recreation.
Frequently asked questions
| Why did the City of Lloydminster need to replace its wastewater plant? |
| The City has made no significant process upgrades to the existing facility since 1983. Minor upgrades have included a new aeration system in 2007/8, coarse inlet screens (2010), and new aeration blowers (2012). The City’s current population is more than 31,000 people, and the existing aerated lagoons are unable to meet their original design effluent limits, let alone the current Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER) limits. |
| What would happen if the City of Lloydminster chose not to build a new facility? |
| Through Environment and Climate Control Canada’s (ECCC) Enforcement Branch, the Government of Canada has delivered a clear Directive to the City of Lloydminster to improve the quality of our wastewater to meet current standards or risk the legal and financial consequences of continued non-compliance. |
| Will construction of this facility have any impact on Lloydminster’s drinking water? |
| No; however, the new plant will greatly enhance the quality of water Lloydminster returns to the North Saskatchewan River, which is the source of drinking water for many downstream cities, towns, villages and Indigenous communities. |
| What will happen to the existing wastewater facility? |
| The existing facility will be incorporated into the overall treatment plant to best use the investment in the existing infrastructure. The design will include the reuse of the existing headworks, aeration blowers, and lagoon cells as a part of the new treatment facility. |
| When will the new wastewater facility be completed? |
| The facility will be commissioned in late 2023 and fully operational by December 1, 2023. |
| How much will the new plant cost to operate? |
| The existing aerated stabilization lagoon system has some of the lowest operational costs, but it is unable to meet the 2012 provincial and federal requirements. Any upgrade to the existing system will require considerably more operational and maintenance costs, especially since effluent limits for a municipality this size require full-blown mechanical wastewater treatment. |
| Does the design of the new facility allow for future community growth? |
| Yes, the new facility will be designed to accommodate the City’s growth projections for the next 20 years, until 2041. The new facility is also strategically placed on the existing site such that an addition, expansion, upgrade, etc. can use the area to the south on the same site to accommodate a further estimated 20 years of service. |
| How were the primary vendors chosen for this project? |
| The primary vendors, or signatories to the CCDC30 Integrated Project Delivery agreement were all competitively procured using Qualifications Based Selection (QBS). |
| How can local vendors and suppliers participate in the project? |
| The IPD Team is continuously evaluating project options based on a ‘Best for Project’ approach. This means that local contractors, vendors, and labour can be more cost effective for the project if they are able to meet quality and other project standards. Local vendors and suppliers should continue to monitor the City’s Bids & Tenders and other postings to see what work is put out for competitive procurement. |
| How can my company bid on contracts relating to this project? |
| When work is posted for competitive procurement, carefully review the Instructions to Bidders contained in the call, determine if your company is able to meet all the requirements, and submit your bid in accordance with the instructions. |
| Does this project create opportunity to partner with neighbouring municipalities? |
| Yes, the City would be able to receive regional wastewater once the facility is constructed. |
| Why did the City choose the Integrated Project Delivery model for this project? |
| The City has a fixed budget that cannot be exceeded. To obtain the best value for the dollar spent the City decided to use the highly collaborative and open IPD approach. The Validation Phase allows the complete IPD Team (Owner, Consultant, Contractor, and Other Parties) to carefully consider all options, costs, risks, etc. based on value. This allows for certainty without having to design and tender the project. Once the project is validated the Design/Construction Team will start the design based on the Validation Report. |
| What is the difference between wastewater and storm water? |
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Wastewater is any water that has been affected by humans used in a home, business, or industrial process. It is disposed of through sinks, toilets and drains entering the City’s sewer system, which flows to the wastewater treatment facility where it is treated to remove contaminants before returning it to the North Saskatchewan River. Stormwater comes from overland drainage originating from rain, snow, or ice melt. Stormwater flows through the City’s stormwater drainage systems to retention ponds and then to the Neale-Edmunds Stormwater System on the City’s northeast boundary. |