FAQ:
Critical Evaluation of Combined Sewers
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RELATED LINKS
PUBLIC NOTICE
The second of two public open houses on a Critical Evaluation of Kingston's Combined Sewers
was held Oct. 26.
PRESENTATION #2
Download an electronic copy of information presented at the second public open house, Oct. 26.
[PDF 1.2MBB]
PRESENTATION #1
View information presented at the first public open house, June 22.
[SLIDE SHOW]
MAP
STUDY AREA
Click above to see a map of the study area.
BACKGROUND
POLUTION CONTROL PLAN
The City of Kingston's Polution Control Plan. The updated plan was adopted in 2001.
[PDF 5.7MB]
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QUESTIONS
A:
The purpose of the Study is to develop a guiding policy for the replacement or rehabilitation of the sewers in the City of Kingston's combined sewer area illustrated on the map above.
The project will include:
- A review of the existing practices,
- An evaluation of alternative strategies, and
- A selection of a preferred strategy for the renewal of the combined sewers.
Alternative strategies will include:
- Maintain the sewers as combined,
- Separate the sewers, or
- A combination of both.
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A:
Combined sewers collect both sanitary and storm water in a common pipe and convey it to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Combined sewer overflows can take place during intense rain events or snow melts. The overflows typically result in the discharge of stormwater and very diluted sewage into Lake Ontario and the Cataraqui River.
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A:
Like most other Canadian municipalities with sewers dating back to the turn of the 20th century, the City of Kingston had many combined sewers constructed. At the time, wastewater treatment was not required and municipalities built combined sewers to convey both sewage and storm water. In the early 1950s, new provincial regulations were put in place to require that all new development areas be serviced with separate storm and sanitary sewers.
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The City of Kingston completed a Pollution Control Planning Study (PCP) in 1992 to examine the environmental and infrastructure impacts of the combined sewer system. The 1992 plan recommended that the combined sewer overflows to Lake Ontario and the Cataraqui River be reduced to address beach contamination and closures (frequent at the time). The following measures were recommended:
- Build large storage tanks to control combined sewer overflows during high flows,
- Upgrade the existing sewer pumping stations, and
- Upgrade and maintain the trunk sewers.
In 2001, an update to the Pollution Control Plan was completed to reflect changes in the Provincial Policies. The update (which you may download from this Web site [PDF 5.7MB]) supported the recommendations of the original plan. Today, all major components of the Pollution Control Plan have either been completed or are nearing completion. The major components of the plan are illustrated on the map above.
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A:
Many of the combined sewers in the central area of the City are reaching or have exceeded their life span. Utilities Kingston intends to replace the sewers in coordination with street reconstruction projects undertaken by the City. With the recent completion of its Downtown Action Plan, the City of Kingston is now set to proceed with the rebuilding of its infrastructure in the downtown core, including roads, sewers and other buried utilities. A good portion of the old combined sewers are located in the downtown core.
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A:
This is the primary question that is to be answered by the current study. Today, separate sanitary and stormwater systems are required for new urban developments. However, it is not always clear whether it is preferable to separate old combined sewers as part of reconstruction projects without the evaluation of the impacts and benefits over the whole system in both the near and long terms. The study will ultimately identify a preferred strategy.
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Now that the Problem Definition and Policy Review tasks are completed, alternative strategies are being identified and evaluated by the project team. The goal is to select a preferred strategy and policy regarding the combined sewers in Kingston.
A public open house was held in June 2005. During this open house, the problem definition, the study objectives and a list of alternative strategies were presented to the public. A second open house is scheduled for October 26, 2005, where the results of the evaluation of alternative strategies will be presented to the public (a link to the presentation boards will be added to this site before the open house). A preferred strategy for the renewal of the combined sewer system will be recommended. Public input and comment are invited. Announcements for the public open house will be in the form of Public Notices in the Kingston Whig Standard, Kingston This Week, and on the Utilities Kingston Web site.
Who is the Project Team?
A:
Stantec Consulting (Ottawa) in association with BPR-CSO (Montreal) and The Thompson Rosemount Group Inc. (Kingston) form the Project Team performing the Critical Evaluation of Kingston's Combined Sewers.
Who can we contact for more information?
A:
For more information regarding the study, you can contact:
The Thompson Rosemount Group
Attn: Pascal Pitre, P.Eng.,
Public Consultation Manager,
785 Midpark Drive, Suite 102,
Kingston, Ontario K7M 7G3
Telephone: 613-634-7373 ext. 407
Fax: 613-634-3523
Utilities Kingston
Attn: Allen Lucas, P.Eng.,
Utilities Engineer
211 Counter Street, P.O. Box 790
Kingston, Ontario, K7L 4X7
Telephone: 613-546-1181 ext. 2250
Fax: 613-542-1463
Email: sewer_study@utilitieskingston.com
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