City, funding partners, community celebrates grand opening of new wastewater treatment facility
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Lloydminster, AB/SK – The City of Lloydminster hosted a grand opening ceremony and facility tours on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, to celebrate the completion of its new mechanical wastewater treatment facility.
Construction of the $81.5-million wastewater system project, funded by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Saskatchewan, along with the City of Lloydminster, was completed in November 2023 and received its permit to operate from the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency in November 2023.
Using the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model, the facility was designed with a fixed budget that could not be exceeded. Coming in under budget, the project’s success is mainly due in part to the validation phase of the IPD model, allowing the IPD team (the City, consultant, contractor and other parties involved) to consider all options, costs and associated risks carefully. Once validated, the IPD team worked through the final three phases of the project – design and procurement, construction and warranty. The IPD approach enables continuous communication and collaboration throughout the project, reduces waste while increasing efficiency, and fosters respect for team members and project outcomes, including profitability.
The new facility includes an influent lift station, a primary clarifier with a dry pit, an intermediate pump station with fine screens, and Veolia ZeeWeed 500EV membranes. To finish things off, the facility was fitted with a new lab, operations control room and office space. The three existing lagoons, with a total capacity of approximately 500,000 cubic metres, were converted to wet weather and sludge storage.
Now complete, the new plant will have significant social and environmental benefits, not just for the present and future generations of Lloydminster but also for the downstream cities, towns, villages and Indigenous communities that rely on the North Saskatchewan River for drinking water and recreation.
Quotes
“Effective wastewater infrastructure plays a vital role in maintaining the well-being of our communities and environment. The new treatment facility will ensure cleaner waterways and also safeguard the North Saskatchewan River’s ecosystem while supporting long-term growth in the region.”
The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor,
on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.
“The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to work with our provincial, federal and municipal government partners to bring this impressive facility to life. Projects like this demonstrate the importance of collaboration across shared borders, and the result – an improved wastewater treatment plant — will benefit this region for generations. I congratulate the City of Lloydminster and everyone involved in the construction of this facility.”
The Honourable Don McMorris, Saskatchewan Minister of Government Relations
“As communities grow, residents must be able to depend on vital infrastructure to support their everyday needs. That goal becomes easier to achieve when governments work together toward shared priorities. The Alberta government is pleased to contribute to this wastewater project, which will allow the City of Lloydminster to grow and thrive for years to come.”
The Honourable Ric McIver, Alberta Minister of Municipal Affairs
“The City of Lloydminster is thrilled to showcase the new wastewater treatment facility to the region, a project that stands as a testament to our commitment to the environment and the sustainable growth of our community. This facility is pivotal to ensuring a cleaner, healthier future for Lloydminster and the surrounding areas. By investing in such critical infrastructure, we’re laying the groundwork for continued growth while protecting our natural resources.”
His Worship Gerald Aalbers, Mayor of the City of Lloydminster
“The successful completion of the new wastewater treatment facility under budget is a testament to the effectiveness of the integrated project delivery model. It fostered a collaborative environment, allowing us to consider all options, costs and associated risks carefully, ensuring project certainty and a higher level of success. This approach has set a new standard for future projects within the City of Lloydminster.”
Don Stang, Executive Manager of Operations, City of Lloydminster
Funding Sources
- The Government of Canada invested over $24.1 million in this project through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and the National and Regional Projects and Small Communities Fund of the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – New Building Canada Fund.
- The Government of Alberta contributed $12.7 million.
- The Government of Saskatchewan contributed $12.1 million through the New Building Canada Fund.
- The City of Lloydminster provided $32.5 million to secure federal and provincial funding.
Quick Facts
- Construction was completed in November 2023, four years after construction started in 2020.
- The project’s final costs are expected to come in under the $81.5 million budget.
- The new wastewater treatment facility was built to meet the community’s needs for the next 20 years. After that, it will be expanded on the same site.
- Under current operations, the facility can treat up to 42,000 m3 of wastewater per day.
- Project Timeline
- IPD team procurement – July to November 2019
- Validation phase – January to July 2020
- Design and procurement phase – July 2020 to June 2021
- Construction phase – April 2021 to November 2023
- Commissioning and handover – August to November 2023
- Deficiency work and warranty phase – November 2023 to November 2024
- The old facility was commissioned in 1980, and the wastewater was treated in a facultative stabilization lagoon system. The construction of the old system and effluent pipeline, which cost $12.3M, was completed in June 1982.
Learn More
- The City of Lloydminster received the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) 2024 Willis Award for Innovation in the 20,001 to 100,000 population category for its new mechanical Wastewater Treatment Facility on June 5, 2024.
- The City of Lloydminster received the Top Municipal Initiative during the 17th annual Saskatchewan Municipal Awards presented during the SARM and SUMA annual conventions and tradeshows in March and April 2024, respectively.
- In April 2017, Lloydminster City Council passed a motion naming the wastewater treatment facility as the municipality’s top infrastructure priority.
- Learn more about the facility at Lloydminster.ca/WWTF.
- For more information about federal infrastructure funding, visit gc.ca.
Image provided by the City of Lloydminster
