Work gets underway in North Van on waste-water treatment plant
Construction has officially started on a new, multimillion-dollar waste-water treatment plant in North Vancouver.
On Friday, Metro Vancouver announced during a groundbreaking ceremony that site preparation had wrapped up on the 3.5-hectare parcel of land where the plant will be built in the District of North Vancouver.
“This project represents a unique opportunity for all levels of government to meet the needs of our growing population while protecting ecological and human health,” said Metro Vancouver board chair Greg Moore.
The plant will serve 200,000 residents in the districts of West and North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver and Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations, and replace the almost 60-year-old existing Lions Gate waste-water treatment plant, which has only primary sewage treatment.
ADAPT Consortium — which includes Acciona Infrastructure, Dialog Design, Amec Foster Wheeler and Tetra Tech — was awarded the $525-million contract to design and construct the plant.
The federal and provincial governments are helping fund the project, contributing $212.3 million and $193 million, respectively.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $700 million.
“The Government of Canada recognizes that investing in modern water and waste-water treatment infrastructure is essential to keeping our waterways clean and protecting public health,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
The project is expected to be completed in December 2020.
The existing waste-water treatment plant will be decommissioned beginning in 2021 and the land, which is leased, turned over to the Squamish Nation.