The Village of Fruitvale is set to break ground on its nearly $1.5 million sewer upgrade this week, after years of planning.
The extensive project includes new aeration in the lagoons, a new bypass system, new grinders, a full electrical upgrade and a new Pollution Control Centre.
“The old one is about 10×10 and just full of electrical so this will be a new building to house the electrical and the UV stations because the sewer effluent will be treated with UV radiation,” explained Lila Cresswell, village chief administrative officer.
Urban Systems Limited is the consulting engineer firm while Acres Enterprises Limited is the contractor behind the work expected to start Wednesday. The first part of the project will address the UV building and components.
“The new UV treatment will provide a more reliable way to disinfect the effluent which will contain micro-organisms that could cause illness,” explained Cresswell.
“This will protect downstream water users, (for instance) those who may use the creek for recreation such as swimming or tubing and those who have water licenses on the creek.”
UV is commonly used in both water treatment and wastewater treatment. The process neutralizes microorganisms as they pass by ultraviolet lamps submerged in the effluent.
“It will eliminate the use of chlorine at the wastewater treatment plant, which will protect the fish in Beaver Creek as chlorine is toxic to fish,” Cresswell said, adding that the village is on top of biological testing.
The project has been on schedule since 2012 when the village received the first of two Gas Tax Strategic Priorities' grants. The work is not contingent to borrowing at present, assured Cresswell.
“We have received approval for $1.1 million for the project,” she explained “We were held up in pre-design by extra work for an environmental impact study but are now ready to move forward.”
Most of the construction will be done by mid December with the project set for completion in February.
Fruitvale council commissioned a separate study of the long term options of the Fruitvale Sewer Treatment Plant before pulling out of the regional Liquid Waste Management Plan and making plans of its own.