By Thomas Goyer
The District of Muskoka is beginning the development of a new wastewater pump station in Huntsville with a sizable price tag.
At the Engineering and Public Works Committee staff presented a recommended contract for Peak Construction Group LLC to construct a new pump station at a cost of $30,194,900 dollars. The existing wastewater treatment plant at Mountview has exceeded its operating life and must be decommissioned. The plant has generated complaints from residents in recent months about foul odors.
The District and municipality of Huntsville have spent the last several years studying the best way to handle wastewater in Huntsville moving forward. The results of this study are to decommission the existing Mountview Treatment Plant and to construct a new pumping station on the site which will direct waste flows to the Golden Pheasant Treatment Plant.
The presentation of the contract recommendation was done by Director of Water and Wastewater Services Michael Currie. When speaking of the importance of the new pumping station to the committee, Currie stated that the new development would help alleviate the current wastewater issues in the area.
“It will address the pressing issues associated with the old treatment plant and ensure the proper treatment and disposal of wastewater in Huntsville,” Currie said.
According to Currie, pumping the wastewater to Golden Pheasant will allow for better wastewater treatment as the Golden Pheasant plant has greater capabilities than the former Mountview plant. Currie stated that the new pump station is being designed with a focus on sustainability and modern technology. This includes incorporating odour control systems which will effectively neutralize unpleasant smells.
The Mountview sewage pumping station would receive flows from five pumping stations in Huntsville and is designed to pump over 25,000 cubic metres of sewage per day, states the report presented to the committee.
On the topic of the high price of the project, Currie stated that it is due to challenges being faced in the construction sector throughout Ontario. This includes volatility over material and fuel costs. Currie stated that depending on how quickly District committees and council approve the contract, construction on the project could begin by early next year.
The Engineering and Public Works Committee voted to approve the contract which will be put before District Council to ratify at a later date.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!
Click here to support local news
We have been being told that the old Mountain view treatment plant was to be closed many times since the new sewage plant was constructed. Many times, but still the old plant seems to just keep chugging along.
Will this time be any different? That is the big question but with a 30 million $ price tag surely something will happen this time.
It better work as Huntsville is one of the few towns I know of that discharges it’s sewage upstream of it’s water supply intake so they must have good confidence in their technology. Recycling at it’s best!
Fight back and save $1,000/year with extreme water conservation. Instead of handing it over to the District to waste.
Money saving ideas are here:
https://sites.google.com/site/opposebracebridgesewers/