2018 Achievements

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What's the context? 
We've provided data on our achievements in 2018. If you're looking for additional context on how much overall infrastructure we maintain, check out our overview infographics.

885 metres of sanitary sewer main replaced is nearly double the 2017 amount of 462. This is due to a new sewer installed to service a major development in Kingston. 

48 kilometres of sewer main inspected is a sharp increase from the 2017 amount of 17. This is partly due to the focus in 2018 on the larger trunk sewer network. 

Infrastructure Upgrades

Expansion Progress: Cataraqui Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant

It’s been over two years since we broke ground on the four-year, $88 million expansion and upgrade of the Cataraqui Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant.  The upgrade will increase the plant’s capacity from 38,800 to 55,000 cubic meters per day to meet projected population growth.

Since we last provided a public update in October 2017, work has focused on the following:

• Biological aerated filter (BAF) process
• Primary clarifier number four
• Workshop building structure

By ensuring the reliability of wastewater services and helping to protect Lake Ontario, this project will benefit the community today and generations to come. 

Watch the video: The BIOSTYR-DUO® BAF process combines the biological treatment and filtration of wastewater into one system that removes ammonia, along with most dissolved contaminants and solids. The video shows the two separate filter media types. Wastewater flows upward: through the bottom layer to remove dissolved contaminants, then through the upper, fine layer of BioStyrene to remove further contaminants and filter particles.

Ravensview Digester Roofing

Over the past several years, three of the four digesters at the Ravensview Wastewater Treatment Facility have been identified with roofing system failures.

In 2017-2018, with funding from the Clean Water Wastewater Fund (CWWF), three of the four digester buildings at Ravensview were taken off-line and the roofing was replaced. The gas proofing systems were also reviewed (and subsequently updated), as required by permitting.  The work was scheduled in order to minimize downtime of any one digester, in order to maintain plant capacity.

The fourth building was constructed more recently and did not need repairs at this time. Total cost of this project was just less than $2 million.

Westbrook Sewage Pumping Station Upgrades 

Peak Engineering & Construction Ltd. has completed construction on the Westbrook Sewage Pump Station.  These capacity upgrades where required in order to support development within the Westbrook neighborhood. The new pumps and control system represent the latest in technology from the supplier Xylem, designed to improve reliability and reduce energy costs.  The installation will be closely monitored by both Utilities Kingston and Xylem over the next several years in order to track these savings and help fine tune this new technology. 

Days Road Sewage Pumping Station 

Utilities Kingston has completed a Schedule 'B' Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) to determine the most suitable option to upgrade the Days Road Sewage Pump Station. This Class EA study evaluated various alternatives to upgrade the pump station to ensure that it can reliably accommodate future growth within the upstream sewershed for the next 20 years.  

Public consultation is a key component to this study. The consultation plan provided for a single Public Information Centre to review a number of alternatives that are being considered. As a result of resident feedback, additional consultation was undertaken and the following changes were made to the conceptual design of the building and site of the recommended preferred alternative:

• Creation of an architectural rendering of the conceptual design.  
• Shifting the location of the building and building components so that the backup power generator offers less obstructed views of the park from neighbouring residences.
• Reduction of overall building footprint.
• Public parking lot at the site of the existing building for LaSalle Park usage.

This project will now move into the detailed design phase, with construction expected to begin in 2020.

Dalton Pumping Station

Replaced equipment to ensure continued reliability and operating efficiencies, including the following:

• Travelling bar screen at the facility, which had been in place for well over 25 years.
• Pump and impellor to improve operating efficiencies at the station while maintaining pumping capacity.
• Programmable logic controllers and programming (in progress).

This $1.8 million project was completed entirely in-house, by a team consisting of water and wastewater treatment operations staff, and our SCADA group.

Ravensview Wastewater Treatment Plant Septage Receiving Station

Completed one-third of the work towards the $3.9 million Ravensview Wastewater Treatment Plant Septage Receiving Station. The work consists of the following:

• An access road and remote unloading bay for septage haulers.
• A two-storey septage receiving building.
• The access road and unloading bay will be located outside the plant perimeter fence. This will permit hauler access.
• The septage receiving building will be located inside the fence. It will house a pretreatment unit for screening and grit removal of septage, as well as an odour treatment unit.

Preventative Plumbing Program

For the seventh year, Utilities Kingston offered the Preventative Plumbing Program to customers, helping to reduce the risk of sewage back-ups and basement flooding in neighbourhoods. Since the program began in 2012, $2.3 million in financial assistance has helped 1,500 Kingston homeowners, including with the removal of 189 illegal connections to the sanitary sewer. (March 2019 figures).

Over the last seven years, the program has built trust, reputation and an increased awareness, which is reflected in its uptake. In 2018, program participation increased to 429 home owners, from 329 the year before, due to a number of factors including a significant increase in precipitation and program uptake from a number of plumbing companies. An amount of $950,000 was invested to assist home owners through this program.

Here are our 2018 program results: 

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Environmental Protection

Utilities Kingston continues to keep abreast of the best available technology in the treatment of wastewater. We look forward with confidence that we will always be able to enjoy the recreational waters of Kingston, while maintaining growth and prosperity in a healthy environment.

In Ontario, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is the government body responsible for environmental protection, including the provision of clean water through pollution control and prevention.  The effluent from the City of Kingston’s treatment facility is required to meet stringent limits established by the Ministry for discharge to receiving waters.

In 2018 we completed the requisite reporting to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks on the quality of our wastewater treatment.

Wastewater by the Numbers

Financials