3 levels of government put up total of $550M for Phase 2 of North End sewage plant upgrades
Phase 2 will see wastewater converted to biosolids that can be reused as fertilizer and soil
The federal, provincial and municipal governments have committed a total of $550 million to the second phase of upgrades to the North End Sewage Treatment Plant, officials announced on Tuesday.
Improvements will be made to the biosolids facilities at the plant, also known as the North End Water Pollution Control Centre.
The biosolids facilities store and treat sludge produced during the treatment of wastewater and convert it to biosolids that can be reused as fertilizer and soil.
The upgrades will also increase the plant's capacity, which will lessen the need to dump wastewater into bodies of water when the facility is overwhelmed.
"I knew getting into politics, there'd be a little bit of crap involved, but what I didn't realize was just how important treating the sewage is to the future of our city," Mayor Brian Bowman said at a news conference on Tuesday.
"We all know this upgrade has been needed for many, many, many years."
Ottawa will spend up to $200.9 million through its green infrastructure fund, pending an approval process. The provincial government is spending about $167 million, while the city is providing $184 million.
The upgrades to the treatment facility — the city's oldest, largest and most critical plant — will help meet the requirements of the city's Environment Act licence.
It will reduce the amount of harmful nutrients flowing into the province's waterways, including a plan for interim phosphorus removal ahead of the Phase 3 construction of a new facility to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from the wastewater.
Alexis Kanu of the Lake Winnipeg Foundation says the deal is significant, especially because other jurisdictions cleaned up their sewage effluent years ago.
"What Lake Winnipeg needs is phosphorus compliance. Phosphorus is the nutrient that drives algal blooms on Lake Winnipeg, and so building phosphorus compliance into Phase Two is an incredible step forward for Lake Winnipeg," she said.
She wonders if other harmful waste that flows into the waterways could be addressed in the next phase, like ammonia, which can be toxic in large doses.
"Really, pinning Phase 3 on Lake Winnipeg is no longer necessary when we achieve phosphorous compliance in Phase 2," Kanu said.
Lessening Winnipeg's pollution of Manitoba waterways does not address the full problem, Bowman adds.
"While this upgrade will address the city's roughly four to five per cent of nutrient loading that contributes to harmful algae blooms in and around Lake Winnipeg, we will continue to need to see a plan and actions to address the remaining 95 per cent that comes from other sources in Manitoba, from other provinces and from other states," he said.
Logjam at the legislature
Bowman offered a not-so-subtle dig at former premier Brian Pallister for the delays in upgrading the plant.
He thanked current Premier Heather Stefanson for helping to fund critical infrastructure in Winnipeg, including the city's master plan to overhaul Winnipeg Transit with a series of capital projects estimated to cost $538.9 million, effectively ending a stalemate between the municipal and provincial governments.
"Thank you very much for ending the logjam at the legislature and really help deliver for Winnipeg and for Winnipeggers," he said.
"This application was collecting dust on the former premier's desk."
The long delay has caused projected costs to soar, but governments are negotiating about how to cover those extra costs, Bowman said.
"We're ready to work collaboratively will all levels of government to address the challenges we're facing," Premier Heather Stefanson said.
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With files from Sam Samson