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When it comes to water and wastewater in Penetanguishene, last year’s results were enough for council to flush praise upon its operations department.
The wastewater treatment division annual report for 2023 was presented at the recent committee of the whole meeting by public works director Bryan Murray, who was joined by division chief operator Mark Charlebois for the slideshow and overview.
Penetanguishene operates out of the Philip H. Jones, or Main Street, wastewater treatment plant, the Fox Street wastewater treatment plant, and the town’s five sewage pump stations.
“Overall, both plants operated very well,” Murray explained. “There was only one monthly exceedance at Fox Street due to total suspended solids. Our effluent loadings for both plants were well within our regulatory requirements and our Severn Sound Environmental Association objectives.”
Murray pointed out that combined flows for the plants had a 4.3 per cent increase in 2023.
“We had a 3.9 per cent increase at the Main Street plant and a 5.5 per cent increase at the Fox Street plant,” Murray noted. “Both plants are operating within their rated capacity, with Main Street operating at approximately 59 per cent of its rated capacity and Fox Street operating at about two-thirds (66 per cent) of its rated capacity.”
While no raw sewage overflow or bypasses occurred at the plants, Murray addressed six spill occurrences observed at the Main Street plant related to unsourced fuel spills which were reported to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks as per regulations as well as the town’s road division operators for investigative follow up.
As stated in the report, flows at the Main Street plant have been declining since the Main Street’s reconstruction in 2017, while the Fox Street plant have seen a three-year increase with leaky sewers discovered on Fox Street, although repairs are slated for this year.
Charlebois addressed bio-solid storage, through sludge haulage and land application, as contracted through Region of Huronia Environmental Services.
“All bio-solid samples of sludge were well-within provincial regulations for metals,” said Charlebois. “Th-e Main Street (plant), since the expansion, produces Class A bio-solids; one of the best classification out there – probably the best in this whole area.”
Cost savings were made visible through graphs at the presentation, showing an annual average of under $75,000 in sludge haulage costs; roughly $150,000 less than pre-upgrades to the Main Street plant upgrade in 2015.
Charlebois added that upgrades to the Main Street plant caused hydro costs to spike in 2016, but savings were being discovered over the years with 2023 as no exception.
“From around 2018 we started shutting one of our (auto-thermophilic aerobic digesters) ATAD’s off, and we saved a lot of money there; over $100,000 per year at least just from shutting that off. Because the flows are so low, we haven’t quite had enough food to feed two; hardly enough to feed one ATAD, actually.” Charlebois added, “We’re continuously optimizing the plant.”
When council were given the opportunity to respond, Deputy Mayor Dan La Rose thanked staff and pointed out how a wastewater report can direct new development in a municipality.
“It’s really important for some of us that’ve been here for a while, investing money into that infrastructure to get rid of all the extraneous water going in, to see that the flows were going way down,” said La Rose. “We can recall back a few years ago when (we asked): ‘Was there enough capacity to have x amount of houses brought on?’
“Running at 59 per cent should serve us well into the future for any future development, and obviously it’s a lot cleaner going out,” La Rose noted.
Coun. Suzanne Marchand also remarked on the report’s importance.
“The fact that you highlighted the cost savings – that we’ve been able to optimize in the new plant and how we’re always looking for efficiencies – I think that’s important, and those are some pretty significant drops in overhead and operating costs,” stated Marchand.
Mayor Doug Rawson said: “I think we have lots to celebrate,” adding gratitude “to staff as well as previous councils that invested the infrastructure, time and money to make these things happen so that we can grow.
“There are municipalities right now that at one time wanted to do a sewage treatment plant like we did; it might have cost them $2- to $5- million – in Tay they’re looking at price tags of $40- and $50- million and plus – and they can’t do it. Your point’s well heard that now we’re set up well for growth, and thanks for your excellence in the work that you do,” Rawson added.
The wastewater treatment division annual report for 2023 can be located on the agenda page of the Town of Penetanguishene website.
Meetings of Penetanguishene council are held on the second Wednesday of each month, and can be watched live on Rogers TV cable 53 when available, or on the Rogers TV website.
Archives of council meetings are located on the Town of Penetanguishene YouTube channel.
