Capital works program
Long-term strategy
A Long-term Wastewater Collection and Treatment Strategy was completed in 2010 (R.V. Anderson Associates Limited).
It was developed on the basis of the requirements of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment’s (CCME) Canada-wide strategy for management of municipal wastewater effluent. As a follow-up to the CCME strategy, the federal government enacted the new Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER-2012) under the Fisheries Act in 2012.
In 2013, a full review of the proposed long-term capital spending was undertaken in coordination with the development of the five-year Strategic Plan. This resulted in the reprioritization of capital spending with an initial focus and emphasis on meeting federal effluent regulations prior to the 2020 deadline. As a result, a 20-year Capital Works Plan was drafted and kept this objective in mind.
The five-year Capital Works Plan is aimed at meeting a higher level of treatment and improving management of combined sewer overflows (CSO). The projects are to be implemented in a coordinated effort to phase in new assets to the existing operation while continuing to meet regulatory compliance. This has also meant delaying the construction of a second river tunnel to convey separated flows from Dieppe and Moncton until after completion of enhanced treatment upgrades at the GMWC’s WWTF. Biological Treatment Upgrades ($90.4M) (To meet federal regulations by 2020) Second River Crossing ($13.2M) Virginia Avenue Pumping Station ($11.6M) CSO Facilities and Remote Pumping ($26.7M) CSO Treatment ($10.5M) Other Projects - Cost Sharing/Pumping Station ($9.5M)
Implementation of long-term capital works plan 2020-2035
Collector system
The major elements of the long-term strategy relative to the collection system involves a second river crossing from Virginia Avenue in Dieppe to the WWTF in Riverview, as well as a new major Pumping Station at Virginia Avenue.
These new conveyance components will allow the GMWC to initially redirect all flows originating within the City of Dieppe directly to the WWTF and subsequently bring online the Humphrey area of Moncton, the Vision Lands and the North End of Moncton. These areas are all separated and thus contain little surface runoff or infiltration water. The main tunnel connected to downtown Moncton is heavily combined and services the majority of Moncton east and south of Wheeler Boulevard. In view of the high cost and impracticality of separating combined sewers in older and high-density areas, the GMWC will deal with combined sewer overflows (CSO) using high-rate pumping and rapid treatment systems during extreme high-flow events.
The proposed Pumping Station at Virginia Avenue will have a cylindrical underground concrete structure with wastewater-receiving chambers on one side and the pump room on the dry side. It will be designed to withstand a severe flooding/river-surge event should that happen.
The second river crossing will consist initially of a 600 mm in diameter PVC continuously fused pipe. Construction will be by directional-drilling method which minimizes surface work in the environmentally sensitive wetlands.
Preliminary engineering for both projects, including geotechnical and environmental work, has been completed in 2012 and 2013. The GMWC anticipates proceeding with these two projects in the 2025-2029 timeframe following completion of the wastewater treatment plant biological treatment upgrading project.
Next Steps in Wastewater Treatment
Proposed site layout
Preliminary layouts for the proposed treatment system and locations of individual unit processes are shown in the design drawings below.