For Immediate Release
2006-04-12
Cindie Ashton, Communications Officer, 613-546-4291, extension 3116 (cell 613-329-3462)
NEW SEWER OVERFLOW TANK
IN OPERATION ON INNER HARBOUR
Giant Tank Under Park Buffers Overloaded Combined Sewers
Utilities Kingston announced today that the Combined Sewer Overflow Tank located on Kingston's Inner Harbour is in operation.
This combined sewer overflow tank (CSO), beneath Emma Martin Park, will store excess rain water and wastewater when the combined sewer system becomes overloaded
during heavy rainfalls, decreasing the amount of untreated water released into local waterways.
"The Emma Martin Park CSO tank has an approximate capacity of 12,000 cubic metres or 120-150 swimming pools full of rainwater mixed with wastewater," said
Utilities Kingston President Jim Keech.
Work began on the Emma Martin Park CSO tank in October of 2004 at a cost of approximately $7.9 million.
"With the CSO tank in operation today, Emma Martin Park will have sod laid and be returned to a park setting within one month," added Keech.
A number of combined sewer overflow tanks have been installed across the downtown in recent years at the bottom of West, Lower Union, Gore, Earl, William and
Clarence streets. Construction of the final two underground tanks identified by the Pollution Control Plan, one in Emma Martin Park and the other, the
Collingwood/King CSO, located near the King Street Water Facility, is now complete.
"In addition to the Collingwood/King and Emma Martin Park Combined Sewer Overflow tanks, there are a number of other projects within the Pollution Control Plan
that Utilities Kingston is working on or has completed in order to reduce the amount of untreated water released into local waterways," said Keech. "All totaled
these projects will cost approximately $150 million."
Recent related projects include:
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The Harbourfront Trunk Sewer twinning is complete and will increase the capacity to transport wastewater from the combined sewer system.
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Upgrades continue at the River Street Pumping Station to accept the increased capacity of the Harbourfront Trunk Sewer and to become the final connection to
pump the sewage into the new sewer pipes placed beneath the Cataraqui River.
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Once the upgrades are completed at the River Street Pumping Station, the sewer pipe installed beneath the Cataraqui River will transport the wastewater to the
Ravensview Water Pollution Control Plant. The pipe was installed in the summer of 2004.
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Upgrades at the Ravensview Water Pollution Control Plant will increase capacity, add a secondary treatment process, provide additional treatment equipment, and
update the plant odour control and electronic systems.
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Upgrades at the O'Kill and Portsmouth Sewage Pumping Stations have modernized the facilities and increased their capacity.
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Later this year, upgrades at the North End Sewage Pumping Station will also modernize and increase capacity at this facility.
BACKGROUND
In 1992, the City developed a comprehensive Pollution Control Plan to address water pollution issues and the capacity limitations of the sewage collection
system.
The plan led to a long-term strategy for dealing with water pollution along the waterfront and recommended a number of infrastructure improvement projects. In
2000, the plan was reviewed for progress and reevaluated the current priorities, in particular, combined sewer overflows.
Many homes, in older parts of the City, are serviced by a combined storm and sanitary sewer system. These combined sewers transport both household wastewater
and rainwater.
During heavy rainfalls these combined sewers can become overloaded causing backups into basements and in extreme cases forcing Utilities Kingston to release the
untreated wastewater and stormwater into local waterways.
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