Lloydminster celebrates the opening of wastewater treatment plant

Lloydminster, AB/SK – The City of Lloydminster hosted a grand opening ceremony and facility tours on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, to celebrate the completion of its new mechanical wastewater treatment facility.

Construction of the $81.5-million wastewater system project, funded by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Saskatchewan, along with the City of Lloydminster, was completed in November 2023 and received its permit to operate from the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency in November 2023.

Using the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model, the facility was designed with a fixed budget that could not be exceeded. Coming in under budget, the project’s success is mainly due in part to the validation phase of the IPD model, allowing the IPD team (the City, consultant, contractor and other parties involved) to consider all options, costs and associated risks carefully. Once validated, the IPD team worked through the final three phases of the project – design and procurement, construction and warranty. The IPD approach enables continuous communication and collaboration throughout the project, reduces waste while increasing efficiency, and fosters respect for team members and project outcomes, including profitability.

“Effective wastewater infrastructure plays a vital role in maintaining the well-being of our communities and environment. The new treatment facility will ensure cleaner waterways and also safeguard the North Saskatchewan River’s ecosystem while supporting long-term growth in the region,” said Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor.

The new facility includes an influent lift station, a primary clarifier with a dry pit, an intermediate pump station with fine screens, and Veolia ZeeWeed 500EV membranes. To finish things off, the facility was fitted with a new lab, operations control room and office space. The three existing lagoons, with a total capacity of approximately 500,000 cubic metres, were converted to wet weather and sludge storage.

Now complete, the new plant will have significant social and environmental benefits, not just for the present and future generations of Lloydminster but also for the downstream cities, towns, villages and Indigenous communities that rely on the North Saskatchewan River for drinking water and recreation.

“The City of Lloydminster is thrilled to showcase the new wastewater treatment facility to the region, a project that stands as a testament to our commitment to the environment and the sustainable growth of our community,” said Gerald Aalbers, Mayor of the City of Lloydminster. “This facility is pivotal to ensuring a cleaner, healthier future for Lloydminster and the surrounding areas. By investing in such critical infrastructure, we’re laying the groundwork for continued growth while protecting our natural resources.”

Funding Sources

• The Government of Canada invested over $24.1 million in this project through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and the National and Regional Projects and Small Communities Fund of the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – New Building Canada Fund.
• The Government of Alberta contributed $12.7 million.
• The Government of Saskatchewan contributed $12.1 million through the New Building Canada Fund.
• The City of Lloydminster provided $32.5 million to secure federal and provincial funding.

Quick Facts

• Construction was completed in November 2023, four years after construction started in 2020.
• The project’s final costs are expected to come in under the $81.5 million budget.
• The new wastewater treatment facility was built to meet the community’s needs for the next 20 years. After that, it will be expanded on the same site.
• Under current operations, the facility can handle 70,000 m³of wastewater per day.
• Project Timeline
  • IPD team procurement – July to November 2019
  • Validation phase – January to July 2020
  • Design and procurement phase – July 2020 to June 2021
  • Construction phase – April 2021 to November 2023
  • Commissioning and handover – August to November 2023
  • Deficiency work and warranty phase – November 2023 to November 2024
  • The old facility was commissioned in 1980, and the wastewater was treated in a facultative stabilization lagoon system. The construction of the old system and effluent pipeline, which cost $12.3M, was completed in June 1982.