Shrinking sewage capacity at the aging treatment plant here is forcing Wellington North council to delay a decision on increasing sewage flow from a poultry processing plant here.
Golden Valley Farms Inc. (GVF) asked the township to consider its request to almost double the average daily flow – from 181 to 360 cubic meters by 2016 – the company releases to the sanitary sewer system.
“GVF is anticipating growth of six to seven per cent annually over the next 18 years,” plant manager Keith Hehn stated in the letter to the township. “When the plant is finished in 2016, we would like our capacity to increase. We believe this will allow for our natural rate of growth and will sustain us until 2031.
“In the short term and until the plant is finished, we would appreciate the township looking for ways that would allow us to increase our average daily flow by approximately 6 to 7% annually.”
XCG Consultants is currently undertaking an environmental assessment study of the plant in a bid to determine whether it could be re-rated to allow for more capacity than the 1,400 cubic meters specified in its certificate of approval from the provincial Ministry of the Environment (MOE).
“The township … is undertaking a class environmental assessment to identify the preferred approach to treat future waste water flows from the village that are estimated to increase during the planning period to an average day flow of 2,300 cubic meters,” XCG said in a preliminary report presented to council by engineer Stephen Nutt at a special council meeting on Sept. 30.
Nutt, in a letter to the township, said the proposed increase from Golden Valley should not be approved.
“As the (treatment) plant is already at capacity, a 15% increase in allocation to Golden Valley (or any increase) in each year for the next three years (assuming that they want the increase to start in 2013) is not possible until it is confirmed that the (township sewage)plant can be re-rated and what construction will be required to allow for the re-rating,” Nutt said in his letter and confirmed at Monday’s meeting.
“Any increase in flow from Golden Valley to the Arthur wastewater treatment plant before a new ECA is issued that increases the plant capacity will likely result in the plant flow exceeding its approved capacity, which could lead to non-compliance and possible enforcement action by MOE.”
Nutt told council he is hoping to have a response from the ministry on its criteria for a re-rating by Oct. 7 to determine what the next steps are to increase capacity at the plant.
Mayor Ray Tout said limited plant capacity will have an impact on development in the village.
Council is also concerned about construction costs associated with re-rating of the plant.
“I see dollar signs like the sewage treatment plant in Mount Forest,” Tout said, referring to the $15 million spent to build a new sewage treatment plant in that community.
Councillor Dan Yake said the township could discuss the option of trucking some of the effluent from Golden Valley with company officials. Among the options would be to truck the waste to the plant in Mount Forest.
Council agreed they should wait for the MOE report.
“I suggest we’re going to be sitting in the bushes until we hear from the MOE … to get a better idea of where we’re going,” Tout said.
