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“We are all downstream" April 23, 2002. Munster Wastewater Treatment. Lagoons April 10, 2002 . Historical Review. Lagoon Study Period 1992-1997. Expenditures $4 million Sealing of sewers Low flow toilets Environmental Study Report Recommended upgrade of lagoons for $7.7 M
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“We are all downstream" April 23, 2002 Munster Wastewater Treatment
Lagoons April 10, 2002 Historical Review
Lagoon Study Period1992-1997 • Expenditures $4 million • Sealing of sewers • Low flow toilets • Environmental Study Report • Recommended upgrade of lagoons for $7.7 M • First pipeline capital cost estimate $9 M (Life Cycle Cost $14.43 M) • $467K lagoon upgrade report never found
Treatment Alternatives Period 1998-1999 • An additional $5 million spent, total now $9 million • New alternatives letter from Mayor – Chair • 474 residents sign a petition in support of advanced “treatment” technologies
City/Regional Council MotionMarch 1998 • Munster wastewater treatment facility must: • Improve the level of treatment (tertiary) • Meet MOE compliance schedule (1 year) • Guarantee the price (fixed price not cost plus) • None of these requirements are met by the City’s pipeline proposal
City’s Request for Proposalsfor Treatment Alternatives • Land Application (spray irrigation) • Subsurface discharge (into groundwater) • Discharge to watercourse (Jock River) • A pipeline was not an alternative
Evaluation of Treatment Alternatives • Solicitation of Munster residents • The Comment Sheet • Modification of bidder’s prices • Qualitative subjective scoring method
The “Comment Sheet” • Single mail out • Poorly designed layout and content • Respondents asked to identify themselves • 69 households responded therefore accuracy is very poor • Results unusable for the purpose
How did we get here? • 1992 -1997 Lagoon Studies • 1998-1999 Treatment Alternative Studies • 2000-2001 Ontario Municipal Board • 2002 – Peer Review of Studies
Over a Decade, $12.7 Million SpentAnd No Solution $650,000 /yr
Understanding of Alternatives Expressed by PLC and MCA Executive on Comment Sheets
Modification of Bidder’s Prices • Onsite bids • Capital cost was increased 54% • Operation & maintenance was increased 200% • Pipeline • Capital cost was increased 30% • Operation & maintenance was increased 5%
Scoring of Alternatives • Score for alternatives • Pipeline score range 1.31 to 5.05 • Onsite plant score range 1.28 to 4.88 • The City's scoring method can not statistically determine a preferred alternative
Pipeline Route Alternatives • Public Consultation Process? • Public Liaison Committee members were asked on membership form if they support a pipeline!! • Pipeline route through Richmond’s streets never communicated to Richmond residents – even as of today
The Challenge Period2000 - 2001 • Additional $3 million spent, total now $12 million • Ontario Municipal Board hearing • City continues to spend on pipeline even while OMB hearing is taking place • City appealed OMB decision 4 times at taxpayer’s expense and lost each time
The OMB Decision • City was “advised” to consult with interested parties- City will not say who these are • City was “advised” to re-evaluate the second consultant’s work using a disinterested third party
City’s Response to OMB Decision • R.V. Anderson was hired for $179,000 to do a peer review of Conestoga Rovers’ work (estimate was $50K) • Conestoga Rovers is doing a peer review of R.V. Anderson’s work for a pipeline/onsite treatment study in King City, Ontario • Conestoga Rovers used Munster to support R.V. Anderson's pipeline selection in King City • R.V. Anderson provided cost estimates for 1998 Munster sewage alternative report to City • A Councilor pronounces that the City already knows a pipeline is the new study outcome – CTV, February 27, 2002
The Pipeline • 11.6 kilometer forcemain – re-pumped six times over 70 km to ROPEC • Meets none of City Council’s criteriaand none of City’s own Wastewater Master Plan criteria • Many installation and operational problems • Cost plus construction over 2 or more years – capital cost of $14 million plus
Richmond Fen City’s Mitigative Jack & Bore and Trenching Where is the pipeline going? 5meters 2 meters 5meters for safety Minimum 2.4 meters for frostprotection
Onsite Treatment • Meets all of City Council’s criteria • Approved by City and Ministry of Environment • Fixed capital cost of $3.2 million • One year to build
Onsite Treatment System A New York State Trial Proved • “(onsite) systems provide removal of wastewater treatment parameters to levels approaching drinking water quality” • “(onsite) systems can be used over a wide range of flow conditions; are easy to operate, maintain and monitor; are extremely reliable and user friendly; and consistently produce exceptional effluent quality” • Study was accepted by the City in December 1997
Meeting Your Priorities withan Onsite Treatment Plant • Keeping clean water in the watershed • Protecting the environment • Controlling construction and O&M Costs • Minimizing Installation Time
Onsite and the Watershed • Enhances Jock River flow with clean water • Prevents surface and groundwater siphoning down the pipeline trench • Assists in meeting Jock River watershed objectives
Onsite and the Environment • Eliminates lagoons and sewage leakage • Prevents further pollution of Richmond Fen with road salts and oils flowing along trench bed • Eliminates impact on Richmond’s wells, septic systems and lagoon usage • Meets future MOE tertiary treatment objectives now
Onsite and Costs • Saves $17 million in life cycle costs • No future broken pipeline repair costs and associated environmental damage • No pipeline cleaning and unplugging • Fixed price rather than cost plus
Onsite and Time • 1 year versus 2 or more years to build
Life Cycle Cost Summary *Repairing Franktown Road will add $2,500,000 * Does not include cost of business and homeowner disruptions, personal safety and environmental risks and loss of 500 building sites in Richmond
Advantages of Munster Onsite Treatment for Richmond Residents • Munster sewage removes 500 homes from Richmond plan – the Richmond pipeline upgrade will cost $8 million or more • Avoids major disruption of homes, businesses, streets, infrastructure and quiet enjoyment
Advantages of Munster Onsite Treatment for Richmond Residents • Avoids potential damage to wells, septic systems, driveways and landscaping • Reduces use of Richmond lagoons • No tax implications
Stop Studying and Just Do It! • 1996 – Pipeline rejected by City • 1997 - Onsite plant capabilities accepted by city and MOE • 1998 – Onsite plant is 4 times less expensive and twice as fast to implement • 1999-2001 City still doesn’t get it • 2002 – Onsite plant could be in place by this time next year
What’s Next? • Making sure yourinterests are heardand met • Ensuring all City ratepayers know the real facts • Ensuring the OMB ruling is enforced • Whatever else it takes to do it right!
Question & Answer "If you refuse to accept anything but the very best, you will very often get it." W. Somerset Maugham