Stratford sewage solution: Town to build new wastewater treatment plant

The Town of Stratford has announced it plans to build a new wastewater treatment plant as itssolution to sewage management.

The town council voted five to onein favour of building a plant at a meeting on Wednesday.

A request for proposals for the design and construction of the new plant will be put out, and the town hopes construction will start in the spring. Council estimates the new plant will be up and running by the fall of 2018.

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One vote against

Councillor Diane Griffin was the only member of council to vote against the plan.

She said she would prefer for the town to pump its sewage to Charlottetown, as she doesn't believe it makes sense for Stratford to put a sewage treatment plant on some of its most valuable real estate.

"It's prime real estate, I really hate to see us put a sewage treatment plant on there again, when we have the option now to undo what was done previously," said Griffin.

She said she believes this is a lost opportunity for a "magnificent park" or other future uses.But insists she's a team player, and happy to see the municipalitymoving forward with a long-term solution that will see less effluent going out into the Hillsborough River.

"We needed to improve the situation and we've done that."

Decision made after careful analysis: Mayor

The town plans to build what's called anenclosedsequencing batch reactor treatment plant on the site of the existing plant.

"Council and staff have carefully analyzed various long-term options for Stratford's wastewater treatment plant including the financial cost, the environmental impact, the impact on effluent quality and the impact on the gateway to the town and nearby properties," said Mayor David Dunphy.

Dunphy said the decision was made after much consultation with residents, and a lot of work by staff to research and comparethe two different options.

"The two big issues that were brought forth on the options, number one was the financial impact," said Dunphy. "Inboth cases there would bean increase in the sewer rates, however with option number two,there's less of an increase, and smaller capital cost by about a million dollars."

Dunphy said the other factor was investing in the long term interests of the residents of Straford, which means a wastewater solution that should continue to meet the needs of a growing population.

Dunphy said the majority of the new plant will be located underground, and the above ground portion will be designed to be "aesthetically pleasing" and designed with sustainability in mind. He said thecurrent sewage lagoons will be eliminated, filled in, and will likelybecome green space.

"Obviously the gateway to the town will improve," said Dunphy. "And we feel very strongly that the decision that was made tonight is the best decision for the long term for the town of Stratford."

Cost previously estimated at $15.2M

Residents had previously been told building a new plant in Stratford would cost $15.2 million and increase the sewer rate to $472 from $329 by 2019.

The other option pumping sewage to the Charlottetown Pollution Control plant through a pipe beneath the Hillsborough Bridge would have increased sewer rates to $544 from $329 for a single-family home.

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It would have cost $8.8 million to deliver the sewage to Charlottetown and an additional $7.5 million to upgrade the plant in Charlottetown.