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Around the Area – A major $25 million expansion to Pembroke’s pollution control centre will be officially opened today.
The sewage treatment facility, which is twice as large as the plant it enhances, is up and running, and provides state-of-the-art service to households within the city and parts of Laurentian Valley Township.
Dave Atkinson, manager of the centre, said this is a major accomplishment for the municipality, and was required to meet new, enhanced provincial environmental standards.
“There have been some challenges as we’ve maintained our day-to-day operations around the construction project,” he said, “but now we can move ahead and fully enjoy the benefits of this new facility and the technology it uses.”
The project became financially viable when the federal and provincial governments provided two-thirds of the construction costs.
Pembroke mayor Ed Jacyno said this was an opportunity which couldn’t be passed up.
“OSTAR (Ontario Small Town and Rural) development funding is only available for a short period of time and we are pleased to have been able to take advantage of it in such a significant way.”
The plant will now use safer technology, fewer chemicals and a more efficient process to produce a cleaner end product. The treatment now involves a secondary process to enhance anaerobic digestion, the process by which bacteria breaks down the solids in sewage.
Instead of chlorine to treat the water before it is released into the Ottawa River, an ultraviolet disinfection system is used, reducing the danger of spills and or noxious fumes. A computerized data and control system automatically monitors all of the equipment and allows operators instant access and control, even when they are off-site.
Staff at the plant have been trained on each new piece of equipment by the suppliers. Mr. Atkinson said the transition to the new system has been seamless. All of the purification processes are now done within closed structures, with an odour-eating vacuum ventilation system to reduce the smell.
Councillor Shirley White, head of the city’s operations committee, said they’ve taken numerous measures to ensure the plant is clean, environmentally friendly and an asset to the community.
“We want to be good neighbours,” she said.
The expanded pollution control centre has also been designed with the future in mind, featuring plenty of room for growth.
“This was our opportunity to get it right,” Mayor Jacyno said. “We planned carefully and we are now well-positioned for the future expansion of our community.”
Planning for the expansion of the plant began nearly three years ago, and the construction started in October 2004. Representatives of the engineers, J.L. Richards and Associates of Ottawa, and the contractors, North American Construction, were expected to be on hand for the official opening ceremonies, which were set to begin 1:30 p.m. today.
Mr. Atkinson said everyone worked together well to make sure the area gets a centre to be proud of, which will serve their needs for years to come.
“Everyone was a true partner in this project, and we all shared the same goal,” he said, “to build the best possible facility for the people of this community.”
The daily Observer