ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: DASHWOOD/LAKESHORE SANITARY SEWAGE COLLECTION SYSTEM

Transcription

1 THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF BLUEWATER ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: DASHWOOD/LAKESHORE SANITARY SEWAGE COLLECTION SYSTEM FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (Last updated March 24, 2011) Compiled by: Brent Kittmer (Utilities Superintendent), Municipality of Bluewater Introduction This list of FAQs consists of answers to questions that have been asked by study area stakeholders throughout the course of the project. Questions have been compiled from a variety of sources including , telephone calls, public comments at meetings, returned project comment forms, and public information centre questionnaires. Some questions are not able to be answered at this time as due process has not been completed in all areas of the study. The environmental assessment is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2011, by which time this list of questions will be complete. Specifically, questions related to municipal policies, total cost of project, construction schedule, and specific locations of infrastructure can not be fully answered until later in the process. As answers to some of the more common questions become available, this list of FAQs will be updated. Contents: General Questions Page 2 Environmental Assessment Questions Page 3 Preferred Option Questions (Gravity and Pressure Sewers) Page 4 Preliminary Design Questions Page 6 Construction Questions Page 7 Finance and Cost Questions Page 8 Municipal Policy Questions Page 11 Page 1 of 11

2 General Questions 1. What is the Municipality doing to improve discharge from the Zurich Lagoons? The Zurich wastewater treatment facility is currently being upgraded to improve effluent quality through more advanced treatment techniques to ensure that more stringent environmental standards are met. The Lagoons are being upgraded to a New Hamburg style facility form the current facultative lagoons. Construction is expected to be complete by August What is legally required to decommission a septic system? In the case of a traditional system from the 1980s can it be as simple as taking the top off and filling it with dirt? Where there is no unsafe condition, the following steps are taken: - pump and flush tank - fill with sand or gravel - disconnect weeping bed tile from tank and cap - remove pipe from building to tank 3. What is the cost of decommissioning an existing septic tank? The probable maximum cost of the tank pump out and filling the tank with sand is approximately $2,000. This is a question best directed to a general contractor that performs this work. The Municipality of Bluewater does not perform work of this nature. 4. Why can t a new waste water treatment plant be built in Bluewater rather than collecting sewage and delivering it to the Grand Bend Area WWTP? This alternative was considered as part of the Sanitary Servicing Master Plan. The limiting factor is the lack of a suitable receiving body for treated wastewater within the study area. 5. Why can t sewage be collected from the lakeshore and pumped to the existing Zurich sewage treatment lagoons instead of investing in the upgraded Grand Bend Area STF? The Zurich site faces several environmental constraints, and would not be able to aquire the necessary MOE approvals. Similar to building a new plant in the Bluewater study area, there isn t a suitable receiving body for treated wastewater at volumes higher than what the Zurich STF is currently designed for. The Zurich STF currently discharges into a low flow drain. Discharge takes place in the spring and fall during periods of higher flow. Page 2 of 11

3 Environmental Assessment Questions: 1. Can a comparison be provided of the pros and cons of all properties switching to a tertiary treatment system versus sewers? Please see the information posted on Bluewater s website that was presented at PIC#1 ( I Live Here Projects Lakeshore and Dashwood Wastewater Collection System Environmental Assessment) 2. Why was PIC #1 chosen to be held on the same day as the Zurich Bean Festival? The Steering Committee consists of councilors, staff, and Dillon representatives. Invited to each Steering Committee meeting are representatives of the BSRA, and a group of stakeholders comprised of one representative from each of the affected Lakeshore subdivisions. Much discussion was held during the second Steering Committee meeting regarding the date of PIC #1, and input was gathered from both the BSRA representatives and the other subdivision representatives. It was agreed that, although August 28, 2010 is not the ideal date, it s the date that represents the best compromise for the schedules of councilors, Dillon, BSRA, and the stakeholder members. Also please note that PIC#1 is a drop-in open house. Anyone interested in attending can likely gather the information they are interested in a half hour s time. 3. If I can t attend the PIC sessions, how can I voice my opinion regarding this project? Residents may submit their comments/concerns in writing either to Dillon Consulting (Attention Janet Smolders, or to the Municipality of Bluewater (Attention: Brent Kittmer). Alternatively, residents may Contact the Clerk s Office and request to attend a Council meeting as a delegation should they feel the above is not sufficient. Submit comments once the environmental assessment completion notice is filed. Contact their subdivision president, or the BSRA, and have their comments brought forth. 4. If I can t attend the PIC sessions, where can I see what information was presented? Materials presented at the PICs will be posted on the Bluewater website for public review ( I Live Here Projects Lakeshore and Dashwood Wastewater Collection System Environmental Assessment). 5. What will the format be for PIC #2? PIC#2 will consist of a presentation from Dillon followed by a question and answer period where residents can ask question related to preliminary design, cost estiates, etc. Page 3 of 11

4 6. How many properties are included in the proposed study area? The current study area includes 920 properties. 7. Where is the Study Area? The southern border of the study area is County Road #83 and the northern border is Hessen lane. The study area includes all properties west of Highway #21 and includes properties an approximate ¼ mile east of the Highway. The village of Dashwood is also included in the study area. 8. Is it possible to extend the service area for the sewers north of Hessenland? Why is the collection system only being extended to Antoinette s Lane? Hessenland Lane is the upstream dead-end of the Bluewater lakeshore pressure zone (named Zone 1 ). To service subdivisions north of this would require the creation of a new pressure zone and a significant deepening of the sewers. As a result, from an engineering viewpoint, it is not possible to service subdivisions north of Hessenland Lane. 9. Has a service area been recommended? Dillon recommends that the lakeshore properties (properties west of Highway #21 in the Study Area) are the first priority service area, and that Dashwood is the second priority service area. Bluewater s Council has not yet accepted this recommendation, but is likely to do so in the near future. 10. Council should consider the views of residents on the east and west sides of Highway 21 before proceeding with the project. All public input will be considered in the evaluation of all of the alternative solutions and design options, including the comparative evaluation of alternative sewer alignments. Preferred Option Questions (Gravity and Pressure Sewers): 1. Will Dillon make recommendations to Bluewater regarding the preferred system? Yes, Dillon will develop and evaluate options for the Service Area, type of collection system and phasing. 2. What type of system does Dillon expect to be preferred? The preferred system will likely consist of a combination of gravity and pressure sewers using grinder pumps. 3. Why aren t gravity sewers being recommended, or a combination of gravity and pressure sewers? As part of the EA process Dillon prepared a comparative evaluation of gravity and low pressure sewage collection systems, including capital cost estimates. Although gravity systems are a well established technology, they are not suitable for most of the Bluewater lakeshore. The extensive excavation required for a gravity system Page 4 of 11

5 would have significant impacts on natural features, existing land uses and roads. In addition, the gravity system has a significantly higher capital cost ($48 million) compared to the low pressure system ($18.4 million) due to the depth of sewers and the number of pumping stations required. Based on these reasons, Dillon recommended the low pressure system as the preferred collection system. However, as the recommended alternative is refined, we may find that gravity sewers are suitable for some areas. Refinements to the recommended system will be presented at the next PIC in the winter. Dillon is currently preparing a Phasing Plan for the proposed system for the Bluewater s consideration. Hendrick Road will likely be the boundary between Phases 1 and 2, based on the various engineering considerations, including population density. The Phasing Plan will also be presented at the next PIC 4. What is the reliability of grinder pumps? How often will they have to be replaced on average? As with all mechanical equipment (i.e. your lawn mower, washing machine or car), the pump has a fixed operational life cycle, if properly operated and maintained. The pump s 20 year life cycle is comparable to the life cycle of a potable water well pump. 5. Where are they currently being used and what is their experience? The size of the system is not an indicator of performance. Currently, there are no systems in Southwestern Ontario serving as large a service area as the proposed Bluewater Service Area. Existing systems engineered by Dillon Consulting Limited include: Grand Bend a 13 unit system (1979) and two, 2-3 unit systems Parkhill - a 12 unit system (early 90 s) Huron College- a 5 large unit system (mid 90 s) Pinery Park - a 37 large unit system (2010) St. David s - a 150 unit system (late 90 s). 6. How many manufacturer choices are there? There are three to four major grinder pump manufacturers in Ontario. Due to system hydraulics of the pump impellars, only one can be chosen for use in any given system. 7. How will Bluewater make its choice reliability, cost? Bluewater will make a choice based on a broad list of requirements, such as history, durability, performance quality, cost, energy consumption, ease of maintenance, options, range of capacity, local providers incl. service, availability, warranties, reputation etc. Page 5 of 11

6 8. What is the effect of hair, grease, sanitary products, freezing and restart after power outage? The Environment One grinder pump, for example, is designed to handle hair, grease and all other typical components in sanitary sewage within reason. (i.e. not golf balls, plastic bottles, canvas sheets etc.) 9. What are the annual operation and maintenance costs for a grinder pump? Approximately $182 per year. 10. Are there any odours associated with the operation of the grinder pumps? When installed in the proper location typical sewage odours are not likely to be experienced. The sump that the grinder pump is installed in needs to be located in an area that will experience air flow to ensure there is a gradient to carry odours away from the house. 11. Can the grinder pump be tied into the existing septic system? Yes. Your existing septic tank can be used as a balancing tank in your onsite collection and conveyance system. The use of a balancing tank would provide ~ 3 4 days additional storage in the event of a power outage. 12. What happens if there is a break in a pressure sewer? What are the environmental risks? A break will result in a minor sewage spill. Generally, less than within a day of the break, there will be a noticeable drop in pressure and the system operator will be notified to shut off the system and repair the break. 13. Are there alarms installed with the grinder pumps? The owner can request that the pump include audio and visual alarms. 14. Are all parts provided for a grinder pump installation (valves, electrical and mechanical components, etc.)? Yes. 15. Can a grinder pump be installed inside the home? Yes, but it is not advised. The pumps does make a noise similar to a furnace, hot water heater etc. when they come on. It may have to be cleaned and it is better to make a mess outside than inside the house. Also, the units are quite large and entry into the building may not be possible. Preliminary Design Questions: 1. Will easements be required along Highway #21 for construction of the collection system? Any easements will likely be located along the east side of the highway since fewer property owners will be affected. Page 6 of 11

7 2. Dillon should be directed to determine easement costs for the installation of sewers on both the east and west sides of the highway. A comparative evaluation of alternative sewer alignments, covering engineering considerations, environmental impacts, costs and easement costs, will be presented at the PIC #2. The evaluation will be documented in the Environmental Screening Report for the project 3. Will properties on the east side of Highway #21 be included in the collection system? The settlement concentration on the east side of the highway is not as dense, meaning that septic systems will work better. At present there has not been a large uptake in requests from properties on the east side of the highway to be included in the study area. 4. Will Hessenland and the trailer parks to the north be included in the collection system? There have been requests from these properties to be included in the study area, and Dillon has included both in the EA. A preferred service area will be presented to Bluewater s Council, and it will be Council s decision regarding the determination of the final study area. 5. What growth is the system designed for? The collection system will be designed for an approximate 1% growth per year for 20 years. 6. What are the design depths for a grinder pump? Design depths are the same as for a septic tank and tile bed. 7. Council should only consider servicing the first storey of all homes. This is the current service level for everyone with a septic system and most homes do not have a basement. As discussed at the Special Council Meeting on March 10, 2011, Council has yet to make a decision on this matter. Construction Questions: 1. When will the system be constructed? The timing and phasing of construction of the project will be determined over the next few months. Construction can not begin until the final design of the system is complete. This requires the environmental assessment and preliminary design to be completed, and for council to approve the project to final design. The EA is scheduled to be completed by April of 2011, barring any unforeseen delays. If Council approves the sewage collection system, the Class EA process is completed and the project is approved under the Environmental Assessment Act, the Municipality has a 10 year time frame to construct the project after approval. Page 7 of 11

8 Final design would likely take a year, with tender and construction to follow should council approve the project. Timing of construction would be the same for a gravity or low pressure system. Finance & Cost Questions 1. What will be the cost to the individual property owner? The Municipality of Bluewater has approached the upper levels of government to request funding for the collection system project. A preliminary breakdown of costs was presented at the first PIC (August ). These costs included: Capital Costs: Capital cost of the plant (Bluewater Portion): Construction of a low pressure collection system: Construction of communal collection with South Huron: $2.3 million $18.4 million $5.5 million The total cost per property will be presented at PIC #2. 2. Once the collection system is operational, what are the forecasted operational costs and how will they be paid? This information was provided on the boards presented at PIC 1 on August 28, Annual Operating Costs Treatment plant operating costs (Bluewater portion) Collection system operating costs Grinder Pump $354,000 per year $70,000 per year $182/property/year Annual operating costs of the treatment plant will be apportioned to Bluewater on a flow basis. Operating costs apportioned to each property will also be on a flow basis. The total cost per property will be presented at PIC#2. 3. Is the capital cost of the grinder pumps included in the capital cost estimate of $18.4M? The estimated capital cost of the low pressure system ($18.4 million) does not include the cost of the grinder pumps. One of the important questions that the project Steering Committee has just provided direction for is that the cost of grinder pumps is to be included in the total capital cost of the project? Costs include the capital cost of the pump, installation and maintenance. The effect of this direction will be presented at PIC#2. Page 8 of 11

9 4. Is the Municipality of Bluewater pursuing funding for the collection system? A Bluewater delegation has met with the Minister s office of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and tabled a request for funding for this project. This request is still in the early stages. 5. Will property taxes be increased across the Municipality to offset costs of the system? No. Sewer and water systems are self-funded, with the costs of the system allocated to the benefiting users. 6. Who will bear the costs of operating and maintaining the system? Sewer and water systems are self-funded, with the costs of the system allocated to the benefiting users. 7. Will property owners be able to debenture the capital costs of the system on taxes? This is a policy decision that the council of the day will need to make when deciding to move forward with this project. Typically the Municipality of Bluewater has allowed property owners to debenture capital projects over a minimum of 10 years. 8. Will a detailed breakdown of the costs per user be available to interested property owners? Yes. As the costs are refined during the preliminary design, a detailed breakdown will be available. This information will be presented at PIC#2. 9. Does Bluewater have a development fee? That is, will new development pay its portion of the previously paid capital costs? How will this benefit the initially assessed property owners? The current Bluewater precedent is such: any new development requiring connection to an existing Municipal service is charged the full amount of the capital cost of the system. Revenue generated from new connections is deposited in a system specific reserve for the benefit of the system in the future (i.e. capital repairs and replacements, emergency work, etc.) 10. If the project is phased in, will the phase 1 users pay all of the base infrastructure debenture costs until additional users are connected to the system? When the collection system is built there will be a portion of system that is common to all users in the study area (base infrastructure), as well as user specific components. Common infrastructure includes the upgraded sewage treatment facility, the trunk sewer main from the treatment plant to the municipal boundary, and any necessary pumping stations in between. Page 9 of 11

10 If Council should decide to proceed with construction of the collection system after the Environmental Assessment and subsequent Final Design stage is complete, they will be required to make a policy decision regarding the financing of the common infrastructure. Council will need to decide if the full amount of the debenture is to be spread amongst only the users connected to the system, spread amongst the users connected to the system based on their proportionate share of the cost (with the Municipality funding the difference), apportioned to all users in the study area regardless of whether they have connected to the system, or develop another funding option. 11. Will there be an up front capital charge to finance the initial roll out? This is a policy decision that the Council of the day will have to address should they decide to move forward with the project. When a municipality commits to a large project that requires borrowing funds, they must confirm that the borrowing is permitted under their annual repayment limit (ARL). This is similar to when a private citizen applies for a mortgage. The ARL is a limit to borrowing calculated each year using a formula prescribed in Ontario Regulation 403/02, using variables from the municipality s Financial Information Report (FIR). The limit fluctuates based on revenue from taxes, funds previously committed and debentured, and expiring debentures. A municipality can not borrow more than their ARL allows without prior approval from the Ontario Municipal Board. Up front capital charges are typically assessed to reduce the amount of borrowing required for a project, which, in turn, leaves borrowing room remaining in the ARL to fund other projects. 12. How will per property charges be determined? Will it be a per lot charge or based on frontage? This is a policy decision that the Council of the day will have to address should they decide to move forward with the project. 13. What is the cost to connect grinder pumps to an electrical service? Dillon will provide some examples when we provide estimated on-lot costs at the next Special Council Meeting on April 26, Council should be aware that the MOE issued a directive to Dillon to prepare detailed per household estimates for all six projects considered in the Master Plan. A range of per household costs will be presented at the PIC. These costs will be preliminary only since the project is in the Preliminary Design stage of engineering. Costs will be further refined in the Detailed Design, tendering and end of construction stages of the project. Page 10 of 11

11 15. Council should consider that if only one phase of the collection system is implemented, the cost to the property owners in that phase will be higher than if all phases are constructed. Downstream costs, such as the cost of capacity in the Grand Bend Sewage Treatment Facility and the cost of the shared trunk sewer with South Huron, will be considered in the preparation of per household cost estimates. Municipal Policy Questions 1. Is hook-up mandatory, and will property owners with newer septic systems be expected to decommission their septic system and connect to the sewers? This is a policy decision that the council of the day will need to make when deciding to move forward with this project. In some jurisdictions, a grandfathering approach has been suggested whereby users with new or advanced septic systems are granted a later hook-up date based on the specific details of their septic system. 2. If a property owner has a lot determined to be large enough for a septic system to operate correctly, will they be exempted from having to connect to sewers? This will be considered as part of the discussions regarding grandfathering systems. Page 11 of 11