TransAqua board to consider Moncton's call for compost site changes

Moncton's wastewater utility will consider a call by city councillors for major changes to address a foul smell in the city's north end.

Residents living north of Berry Mills Road have complained for years about a pungent sewage smell.

Moncton council voted Monday to ask TransAqua to consider moving its sewage composting operation into a building to contain the smell, or move it farther from homes. 

Another motion set to be debated in January could see the city insist on one of those options.

There was no discussion of the issue at TransAqua's commission board meeting Thursday evening. Michel Desjardins, the commission's chair, was absent and other members declined an interview after the meeting.

Brenda Dore Kidney, the commission's secretary, later sent an emailed statement saying they will discuss Moncton's vote at the commission's next meeting on Jan. 18.

Kevin Rice, TransAqua's general manger, said in an interview that addressing council's request would require spending money to know if it is feasible. Moving to a new location would potentially require provincial environmental approvals. 

"Right now, we don't have any funding in our 2024 budget to do that," Rice said.

"However, the commission certainly has the authority to be able to direct staff to say, 'Get us a proposal, let's let's start this study as soon as we can.'"

TransAqua is funded through wastewater fees paid by homes and businesses in Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview. That means any added costs would go on those bills. 

At issue is a facility the utility, previously known as the Greater Moncton Wastewater Commission, began operating in 2005 south of Berry Mills Road.

That's where biosolids removed from Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview wastewater are sent to be composted on large outdoor pads under large tarp-like covers. 

An upgrade at TransAqua's sewage plant has resulted in significantly more biosolids being sent for composting.

Rice said the upgrade was expected to result in a 25 per cent increase, but has actually led to a 76 per cent increase. 

TransAqua is expanding the composting yard to handle more material and has bought more covers for its piles. 

It has also purchased land about 50 kilometres north of the city to store excess material. 

Rice said TransAqua has trucked material to that site, an added cost, for the last month and a half.

"That is being fully utilized," Rice said in the interview. "I believe it's almost full now, actually."

Last year it sent material to Amherst, N.S., for two months.

He said in the time material was being trucked out of the city there were still odour complaints attributed to TransAqua, despite its city location being less active. 

Rice has repeatedly said that the north end composting operation is in compliance with its provincial operating permit. 

Councillors expressed frustration this week that TransAqua's previous steps haven't stopped the smell.

The 5-4 vote Monday was for a motion to "continue discussions" with TransAqua, including requesting its board "explore" additional options.

The motion also called for more air quality testing next year, including near other industries that have odour complaints.

Councillors Dave Steeves and Bryan Butler voted against the motion, saying its language was too weak. 

They introduced a separate motion to be debated Jan. 15 that calls on council to "insist" TransAqua build a new facility to keep odours inside, or relocate outside the city.

Butler said he was "tired of talking to TransAqua" and rounds of meetings on the issue. 

"We should be saying ... 'You can put it inside and stop the smell, and if that's too expensive, if that's way too expensive with a building, then move it out of the area,'" Butler said. "Because people are tired of smelling it."

Whether Moncton can insist TransAqua take specific actions wasn't clear. 

Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview appoint commission board members, but the organization is separate from the municipalities.

"I think it would be very difficult for us to direct them as one council," Nick Robichaud, Moncton's general manager of legal and legislative services, told councillors. 

On Thursday, Rice said he couldn't answer the question but said TransAqua wants to work with the city to resolve the smell concerns.