04-2020 - Wastewater Treatment System Evaluation and Recommendation

The Town of Picture Butte is a small and growing community of 1810 people (2016 Federal Census) with a regional service area of approximately 5,000 people. The Town’s wastewater is treated through an aerated lagoon system consisting of three partial mix cells and one storage cell. The treated wastewater continuously discharges to Piyami Coulee which feeds into the Oldman River. In 2018 Alberta Environment and Parks renewed the Town’s wastewater approval. Within this approval certain requirements were outlined that the Town had to achieve within the next five years. The intent of this RFP is to acquire an engineering firm that can assist the Town in meeting these requirements in a cost effective manner.

As per the conditions in Alberta Environments Approval the Town needs to take a number of steps. The first step or phase is to complete an engineered study that will determine if the Town’s wastewater treatment system needs to be upgraded to meet Alberta Environment’s and Environment Canada’s effluent regulations.

The second phase requires that if the report in phase one determines that upgrades to the Town’s wastewater treatment system are needed then a detailed engineered design and construction schedule needs to be submitted prior to the 31st of December 2021.

The third phase of this project would occur when Alberta Environment and the Town of Picture Butte agree to a construction schedule to implement the required changes to the wastewater treatment system. Currently there has been no mandate to begin or complete the possible required upgrades.