Regina Wastewater Treatment Plant

The construction of a new wastewater treatment plant at Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, was initiated by the City of Regina in June 2014. The new plant will increase Regina city’s wastewater treatment capacity and modernise the facility. It will provide treatment capacity for a population of 258,000 and reduce the ammonia, nitrogen, phosphorous, E. Coli and suspended solids levels in the water system.

EPCOR Water Services was contracted in August 2014 to provide wastewater treatment operations from the existing facility until the new plant is complete in December 2016. It will also operate the new facility for 30 years until June 2044.

Project background of Regina treatment plant

The City of Regina decided to build a new wastewater treatment plant to meet new environmental regulations, protect public health and environment, improve water quality for downstream residents and businesses, meet the needs of Regina’s growing population, and protect Wascana Creek and the Qu’Appelle River system.

The project will include carrying out upgrades to the primary and secondary treatment processes, as well as establish a new tertiary treatment process.

The city held a referendum on the construction of the new plant in September 2013. The same was supported by the voters and prompted the council’s decision to proceed with a public-private-partnership.

New Regina wastewater treatment plant details

The new treatment plant is designed to have full capacity of approximately 156ML/d, which is 56% higher compared with the existing capacity of 100ML/d.

The plant will have a wet weather flow treatment system that will allow storing large extreme storm flows during wet weather events. It will also help to return storm flows for treatment when the storm subsides. It has the ability to respond to higher or lower water flows more quickly than the existing plant.

The new plant will maximise the biological process and the use of chemicals to reduce the potential pollutants and chemical costs. The treatment unit at the plant will be constructed in line with stringent environmental regulations to obtain an ISO 14001 accreditation. The plant will enhance the Wascana Creek ecosystem by producing higher-quality effluent. The newly constructed bioreactors will reduce ammonia and phosphorous in wastewater.

Construction details of the wastewater treatment plant

Construction of the wastewater treatment plant began with early works June 2014. Approximately 260,000m³ of the 310,000m³ of soil was excavated at the site by September 2014. As of May 2015, roughly 40% of the construction work was completed at the site.

The construction includes establishing three new bioreactors and three new secondary clarifiers. The construction of bioreactors and secondary clarifiers require approximately one million kilos and 650,000kg of reinforcing steel respectively. A tower crane was erected at the site to construct the concrete basins.

Financing

The total estimated investment for the construction of the facility is $181m. The plant will be constructed through public-private-partnership (P3). It project received $58.5m in federal funding through the P3 Canada fund.

Contractors involved with the Canadian wastewater treatment plant

The consortium comprised EPCOR Water Services, Gracorp Capital Advisors, Graham, Lockerbie Stanley/AECON and Stantec was awarded the contact in May 2014 to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new wastewater treatment plant.

EPCOR provides water and wastewater system operation and maintenance solutions at the plant. Graham and Lockerbie Stanley/AECON will design-build and execute the capital improvements to the existing wastewater treatment plant. Stantec provides architecture and engineering services, while Gracorp Capital Advisors provides finance planning, development, financing and long-term asset management services.