SUMMARY REPORT

PROPONENT:

City of Brandon

Wastewater Treatment Plant Alterations

Class 2

Wastewater Treatment Facility

102.50

An Environment Act Proposal, dated June 19, 1998, respecting three proposed alterations to the City of Brandon’s existing Wastewater Treatment Facility, and submitted by the City of Brandon, was received by the Department on June 22, 1998.

The City of Brandon proposes the following three alterations:

Item No.1

To operate the wastewater treatment facility with a separate direct discharge effluent line from the wastewater treatment plant to the Assiniboine River in addition to the existing effluent discharge line from the wastewater treatment lagoon system.

Item No.2

To install and operate an ultra-violet light disinfection system on the direct effluent discharge line from the wastewater treatment plant to the Assiniboine River.

Item No.3

To make sole use of the wastewater treatment lagoon system for treatment of wastewater during the plant alterations at the wastewater treatment plant, concerning a hydraulic upgrade to the plant to increase the influent flow capacity of the plant.

The Proposal provided an environmental impact statement (EIS) for alteration item No.3 only. An EIS for each of the alteration items No.1 and No.2 will be provided in the future, at which time they will be re-advertised for public review and comment.

The Proposal was advertised in the Brandon Sun and the Portage Daily on Saturday, July 4, 1998, as well as in the Portage Herald on Tuesday July 7, 1998. Copies of the Proposal were placed in Public Registries at: the Environment Library (Main) in Winnipeg; the Centennial Public Library in Winnipeg; the Western Manitoba Regional Library in Brandon; the Portage Plains Regional Library in Portage la Prairie; and the Manitoba Eco-Network. The closing date for the receipt of public comments was specified as June 30, 1998.

Copies of the Proposal were also sent to the applicable members of the interdepartmental Technical Advisory Committee for their review and comment by no later than June 30, 1998.

A total of 4 public responses were received by the Department. The comments came from Mr. D.P. Abbe, Mr. J. Elves, from Mr. Marvin Robert (to the Regional Director) on behalf of the Long Plain First Nation and the Dakota Tipi First Nation near Portage la Prairie, and from Lochick, Jones & Associates (to the Director) on behalf of the Long Plain First Nation near Portage la Prairie.

Mr. Abbe:

• expressed his dissatisfaction with the hydraulic upgrade proposal;
• made a number of disparaging remarks; and
• suggested that the plans for the new plant (presumably the proposed ML wastewater treatment facility) be adapted to handle the city sewage.

Mr. Elves:

• expressed concern about the quality of the river water, and the effects that the release of untreated sewage will have on various species of fish;
• outlined an alternative to simply dumping the untreated sewage into the river during the bypass period (whereby the alternative was based on his erroneous interpretation that the hydraulic upgrade proposal meant an expansion to the existing lagoon system); and
• expressed a conviction that the Director should call a public hearing whereat the City of Brandon could identify alternatives to the proposed bypass.

Mr. Marvin Robert:

• indicated that the Long Plain First Nation have concerns with respect to the release of partially treated effluent into the Assiniboine River;
• identified that the band primary source of water is drawn from 4-30 foot deep wells located within ¼ mile of the Assiniboine River; and
• noted that since the Dakota Tipi First Nation draws its water supply from Portage la Prairie’s water system, that they too should be kept apprised of any known impacts that may affect their community’s and Portage la Prairie’s water supply.

Lochick, Jones & Associates commented that:

• the Proposal does not deal with the effect the proposed changes may have on any other community, besides Portage la Prairie, whose source of drinking water is the Assiniboine River and who are even closer to Brandon than Portage la Prairie, for example, Long Plain First Nation, Dakota Plains First Nation and Dakota Tipi First Nation;
• there is no consideration for the effect the proposed changes may have on these communities which do not have the water treatment facility that Portage la Prairie does; and
• there should be an investigation into the effect the changes will have on their drinking water so that they can ensure the safety of their own community.

Disposition

All the letters and faxes were acknowledged. Copies of all the letters and faxes received from the public, and their acknowledgements, were placed into the public registries, with copies sent to the City of Brandon for their information and action. As well, representatives from Manitoba Environment, the City of Brandon and the federal government met with representatives of Long Plain First Nation and Dakota Tipi First Nation on August 17, 1998, to discuss their concerns and to share information.

Relating only to alteration item No.3:

Rural Development commented that they have no concerns.

Historical Resources commented that they have no concerns.

Highways commented that they have no concerns.

Natural Resources commented that:

• Loading (BOD,NFR and NH3-N) was calculated on flows in the Assiniboine River based on cubic metre volume per month. There is no indication of the daily volume, which is of concern to fisheries.
• Consideration should be given to impacts on aquatic wildlife and aquatic species which overwinter on the river bottom due to increases in phosphorous and nitrogen and drops in water levels.
• Natural Resources regional staff in Brandon and possibly Carberry should be notified when the plant is to be shut down to ensure flow gates are closed to Spruce Woods Park to minimize the possibility of contamination.

Disposition

The comments were referred to the proponent for consideration and response. No reply was received. The concerns have been addressed in the draft licence.

Manitoba Health commented that:

• While Portage la Prairie may have the capability for handling the estimated increased coliform load, they are concerned about other potential non-licenced downstream users of the river who will need to be kept informed in order to voluntarily minimize their risk.
• What is the impact on the recharge of the aquifers from the Assiniboine River during the period of impact? If this is a cause for concern then the key is public notification of any potential hazards during the period of impact.

Disposition

The comments were referred to the proponent for consideration and response. No reply was received. The concerns have been addressed in the draft licence.

Environmental Operations (Park-West Region) commented that during the period of impact on the Assiniboine River:

• all downstream users should be notified of the proposal;
• a sampling program of the river quality should be undertaken; and
• all downstream users should be continually made aware of the river quality.

Disposition

The comments were referred to the proponent for consideration and response. No reply was received. The concerns have been addressed in the draft licence.

Water Quality Management commented:

• A number of technical deficiencies can be identified within the report, however, the conclusions reached regarding impacts during this period appear to be generally correct.
• The length of time required for by-pass appears to be uncertain.
• The construction should occur over the shortest possible period of time.
• The construction should not occur during a period of predicted low flow, especially if they reach the 7Q10 flow rate.
• The construction should occur during a period when treatment start-up can commence quickly and completely following the upgrade.
• They wish to be provided an opportunity to review the river monitoring program to be conducted by the City of Brandon, and to receive the data within a reasonable period of time subsequent to the program.

Disposition

The comments were referred to the proponent for consideration and response. No reply was received. The concerns have been addressed in the draft licence.

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency commented that:

• application of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act with respect to this project will not be required;
• Environment Canada and Health Canada would be able to provide specialist advice in accordance with Section 12(3) of the Act; and
• Indian Affairs and Health Canada have an interest in this project and would therefore like to participate in the provincial review.

Whereas a request for a public hearing was made by Mr. Elves, the Director of Environmental Approvals informed Mr. Elves that he will not recommend to the minister that a public hearing should be held on the proposal because of the temporary nature wastewater treatment plant shut-down.

Whereas the City of Brandon’s wastewater treatment system is presently addressed by Environment Act Licences No. 1456 and 1584 S2, and whereas the City of Brandon also filed for a minor alteration to these licences respecting the type of flow meters to be used, a draft new licence, updating, merging and enhancing the two existing Licences has been prepared and is enclosed for the Director's consideration. Since we are at this time addressing only alteration "Item No. 3’, the draft licence has been prepared as a stage 1 licence. It is recommended that the licence, if approved, be initially administered by the Environmental Approvals Branch so as to ensure that all the monitoring and reporting requirements are being properly implemented. The Park-West Region could assist in the administration of the Licence through surveillance, monitoring, ongoing compliance evaluation and enforcement responsibilities.

PREPARED BY:

C. Moche, P. Eng.
Municipal and Industrial Approvals
August 20, 1998