Seaway Wastewater Treatment Plant Aeration Blower Replacement (including surge supression) - located in the City of Port Colbornet

completed

The Seaway Wastewater Treatment Plant located in the City of Port Colborne treats sewage from approximately 13,650 residents plus industrial, commercial and institutional sewage generators. This Wastewater Treatment Plant is a Class 3 plant with a rated Average Daily Flow capacity of 19,600 m³/day, Peak Flow Rate (Dry Weather) of 45,360 m³/day. This treatment plant was built in 1981. The plant’s mechanical aeration system was replaced in 2010 with a fine bubbler system. However the Port Colborne area often has power outages that cause issues with the plant’s electrical equipment. Because of this problem the aeration blowers were damaged during a power outage. A temporary multistage centrifuge blower was installed to keep the plant in operation until a more permanent solution could be identified. An engineering study was done to analyze the spare aeration blower capabilities and recommend a solution to ensure Ministry of Environment compliance. The study concluded that the spare aeration blower is not adequate to meet the rated capacity of the plant, and need to be replaced with properly sized aeration blowers. Also the installation of appropriate surge suppression technology will be built at this plant to prevent re-occurrence. The following are the main components of the project: • Installation of new blowers (3 or 4 units depending on equipment suppliers specifications) to provide air to the fine bubbler system. • Installation of surge suppression equipment to provide electrical protection for the blower assemblies. The cost estimate is based on the consultant study. Total estimated project cost is $800,000 based on the projected 9 year capital forecast.