HRP preferred for Canada wastewater plant

Harbour Resource Partners (HRP) has been chosen as preferred proponent for the McLoughlin Point wastewater treatment plant as part of the Seaterra Program in Canada’s Greater Victoria region, as it moves to comply with stricter provincial and federal governmental regulations.

HRP comprises AECOM Canada, Graham Infrastructure and SUEZ North America.

The announcement brings HRP one step closer to reaching a final agreement with the Seaterra Commission, which its chair, Brenda Eaton, expects to be announced in four to eight weeks. The deadline for the final agreement is July 26.

As preferred proponent, HRP is expected to design, build and partially finance the new McLoughlin Point plant, the Commission said.

The plant is an essential part of the $782.7 million Seaterra programme, which is jointly funded by federal and provincial governments and the Capital Regional District (CRD). The programme aims to provide enhanced treatment for the region’s wastewater to adapt to tougher regulatory requirements. HRP had previously worked on several CRD wastewater projects.

The practice of dumping raw sewage into the ocean is no longer deemed acceptable in the Greater Victoria region, and it will no longer be releasing untreated water into the Strait of Juan de Fuca by 2018.

In 2010, Canada’s Ministry of Environment approved the Liquid Waste Management Plan Amendment No. 8, which included the centralised wastewater treatment plant at McLoughlin Point.