Creemore development contingent on sewage capacity
Clearview Township officials have initiated a Creemore Water and Wastewater Master Servicing Plan to look at options for freeing up more sewage capacity and allow for development to proceed.
The 18-month process will include public engagement to address all problems at the waste water treatment plant (WWTP), and lead to a design process for expansion.
Township staff and engineers at RJ Burnside have been working with Creemore developers (Tribute, Zeng and Lamb), who have agreed to pay for the $350,000 study.
In the meantime, Clearview staff has initiated an Assimilative Capacity Study (ACS) of the Mad River, required to take the WWTP from its constructed capacity of 860 m3/d beyond 1,400 m3 of capacity, to accommodate the wastewater discharges from the anticipated development. Due to a number of factors relating to the membrane filtration system, the capacity of the WWTP is very limited and well below the intended capacity.
Testing had indicated there was WWTP capacity for 108 new residential units but Clearview’s Director of Public Works Mike Rawn said that forecast has now been reduced by about 10 per cent. That capacity has been allocated to condo units, which use less capacity than single detached homes, the development of the old school, and some infill lots.
Outside of the scope of the Master Servicing Plan, Tribute’s consultants are in discussion with Creemore Springs Brewery with regards to a pre-treatment concept for brewery effluent.
“The Wastewater Treatment plant design will be heavily influenced by what is done with effluent from
Creemore Springs Brewery,” states a memo from engineer Jeff Langlois. “Ultimately, the wastewater treatment plant needs to be capable of handling the discharges from Creemore Springs Brewery (as defined in the overstrength agreement) in combination with the discharges form other current and future users of the municipal system.”
Tribute Communities is looking to apply the allocation to the Alliance Homes development, off Mary Street.
Plant improvements, more frequent replacement of the membranes, and possible pre-treatment of the brewery’s effluent would all help to free up interim capacity while a plant expansion plan goes through the ministry approval process and is potential completed post-2024.
“Between all of these engineering companies, I’m sure we can come up with some good things for Creemore,” said Rawn.
