UBCM Community Excellence 2006 Awards. Kelowna-Vernon Biosolids Composting Facility

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1 UBCM Community Excellence 2006 Awards Category: Leadership and Innovation; Large Community Kelowna-Vernon Biosolids Composting Facility City of Kelowna & City of Vernon The Kelowna-Vernon Biosolids Compost Facility is a collaborative and innovative long-term solution for composting biosolids from Kelowna, Vernon, Westbank, District of Lake Country and from the Westbank wastewater treatment plants and the North Okanagan Septage Facility. The compost facility uses an advanced, automated aerated static pile process for converting wastewater biosolids to a marketable compost (OGOGROW-trademark) that is widely accepted throughout British Columbia as valuable material for amending soils and for horticultural use.

2 Kelowna-Vernon Biosolids Composting Facility City of Kelowna & City of Vernon Sustainability: The Kel-Vern Biosolids Composting Facility demonstrates the principles of sustainable development in an infrastructure project with the re-use of wastewater residuals (biosolids) to produce compost (Ogogrow tm ) using an advanced aerated static pile composting process. The major contributors of biosolids to the facility (Kelowna, Vernon and Westbank) have similar biological nitrogen removal wastewater treatment (BNR-WWTP) processes assuring compatibility of biosolids for composting. A number of years ago the City of Kelowna recognized that its biosolids composting facility in Lake Country needed to be replaced due to land and capacity issues. At the same time the City of Vernon was embarking on a major wastewater treatment expansion and upgrade and was seeking a long-term sustainable solution to deal with biosolids. The City of Kelowna and the City of Vernon partnered to create a facility capable of meeting the needs of both municipalities. The advanced ASP process has positive and negative aeration enabling raw biosolids to be coverted to Class A compost in 80 days compared to the conventional ASP process of 120 days. This process consumes 1/3 less space then the previous facility in Lake Country with the same throughput allowing for higher volume of processing on the new site and a longer life on a smaller footprint then the conventional ASP process. The 9-hectare footprint will allow for expansion to accommodate the 5-10 year horizon and, with incremental expansion, the total 33 hectare area will last 25+ years.

3 Ecological /Environmental: This facility is located in a farming area of North Okanagan Regional District. In addition to serving the needs of the City of Kelowna and City of Vernon, two Okanagan Valley regional districts will also benefit from the new facility. Wastewater treatment facilities located in the Central Okanagan Regional District (Westbank & Lake Country) and the new Regional District of North Okanagan Septage Facility are expected to be processed at the Kel-Vern Composting Facility. Biosolids are by-products of municipal wastewater treatment that are rich in nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) and minerals and have available energy (fatty acids and other carbon substrates) for composting. In the past, biosolids were viewed as a waste product requiring disposal. However, more recently, municipalities have further processed this material to produce a usable end product. The Kel-Vern Biosolids Composting Facility will produce Class A compost known as Ogogrow tm which is sold to wholesale and retail customers. Storm water and leachate from the facility is treated in a wetland and detention area and discharged into the effluent forcemain running from the Vernon Water

4 Reclamation Centre to the City s reclaimed water reservoir. Reclaimed water from the City of Vernon s reclaimed water reservoir will be used at the new facility for process water and for truck washing and site clean up. The Kel-Vern Biosolids Composting Facility is an excellent example of full cycle recycle with the biosolids being turned into Ogogrow tm and reclaimed water being used for operations. It is also anticipated that the large volume of yard waste organics produced by valley residents will become a main feedstock for the compost operation. Economic: The new facility was developed based on the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Kelowna and City of Vernon which was signed in early stages of the project. Both municipalities contributed to the capital cost of the facility based on their projected use of the facility. The facility capital cost of $7.4m was shared based upon existing biosolids production from each City s WWTP (2/3 Kelowna and 1/3 Vernon). The economics of scale of this project reduced the overall capital outlay from the two main partners (City of Kelowna and City of Vernon) compared to each of the partners developing their own facilities. It is estimated that the City of Kelowna savings were in the order of $3 million. Potential enhanced operational efficiencies will also contribute to an enhanced bottom line for each municipality. To cover annual operating costs the facility will collect a tip fee per tonne of biosolids processed from each customer group (sewer utilities, sewer user groups and septage facilities). The operational costs will be shared based on average usage by each partner at 6 and 12 month intervals. However this will not cover off all operational costs. It is envisioned that revenues (presently 35% of operational costs) from sales of Ogogrow tm and other materials will increase and help to offset costs. The project is substantially complete with an estimated cost overrun of less than 3% during a period of high material and labour cost escalation.

5 Social: The site selection and acquisition process required in-depth review, consultation, stakeholder engagement, negotiation and numerous agency approvals. Here is a list of those processes, many of which were happening simultaneously: Joint land search, offers to purchase, lease to purchase agreements, lawyer memorandum, operational agreements, council reports (in 2 jurisdictions) and regional board approvals, alternate approval process, subdivision and zoning, lot consolidation, covenant development, Land Titles registration, development permit, environmental impact assessment and regulatory approvals re: organic matter regulation, ALR approval, senior management commitment, gas and electrical utility approvals. The project concept, pre-design, design, tendering and construction period lasted 18 months and was a collaborative effort. The team of operators, project leaders, technicians, engineers, designers and contractors brought this project to a successful conclusion. The processes that surrounded this part of the project were: TOR for consultant assignment, consultant award/selection, pre-design, aeration and process selection, design, cost estimates, pre-tender and tender, tender award (3 construction contracts in sequence), building permits, license of occupation for construction, construction and inspection, commissioning and operator training, compost equipment tendering and purchase. The compost product Ogogrow tm has a loyal following and community identity with the customer base built over the last 10 years. This customer base and an updated marketing study point towards a continued success in the horticultural, landscaping and home use compost market.

6 The new site will become a highly recognized location for this innovative and sustainable project. It will attract interest from other municipalities in Canada and abroad and it is anticipated that there will be increased municipal capacity gained from this facility that will help other communities. Kelowna-Vernon Biosolids Composting Facility Coverall Mix Building Compost mix area Aeration Pad in the background & fan assembly for positive & negative aeration