Niagara-on-the-Lake sewage plant nears completion
A long-awaited new wastewater treatment plant in Niagara-on-the-Lake is expected to be operational by the end of March or early April.
Niagara Region acting chief administrative officer Ron Tripp and director of water and wastewater Joe Tonellato provided an update to town council Monday on the $51million project that has experienced many problems and delays.
The completion of the sewage facility is years behind schedule.
“It’s been an extraordinary path to get here,” Tripp said, noting he must be careful what he discusses publicly.
“We expect this will go down a legal path,” he said, referring to the contract awarded to Varcon Construction, based in Concord, Ont.
He said the work is now generally completed with a few deficiencies such as siding on the digester and soffit and some restoration.
Plans call for a 14-day test run using water, and if that is successful a 14-day test on water sewage will be introduced into the plant.
A 30-day commissioning period would then begin and sewage would be accepted from the town after that, based on favourable weather conditions.
“The last two years have been extremely painful,” said Tripp, adding, “We’re confident we’re getting a quality product.”
Tonellato said Harmony Residents Group, which wants the land where lagoons are located to be turned into a public park, has been engaged throughout the project process.
That property, however, is owned by Parks Canada.
Tonellato said it will cost the Region between $9 million and $12 million to decommission the site.