Dysart et al mayor Murray Fearrey said the township will be looking for provincial support to fund an estimated $12 million to $15 million redevelopment of the Haliburton Wastewater Treatment Plant.
An expansion of the site has been debated behind closed doors for some time, with Fearrey confirming talks began shortly after the October 2022 municipal election. In January, the township approved a $192,000 spend to bring in Ottawa-based consultant Clearford Water Systems to assist with design and regulatory approval.
John Levie, Clearford’s vice president of engineering, provided a first public update on the project at a June 24 council meeting. He said a proposal to increase capacity by about 50 per cent, to 2,375 connections from the current 1,575 – an 800-unit increase – will need to be ratified by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).
He said there are four phases to the expansion – design and approvals, where they’re currently at; securing amended environmental compliance approval (ECA) from the Ontario government; tendering out design; then constructing the addition. He told council this will be a multi-year process, estimating completion, if approved, in late 2027 or early 2028.
“The reason we’re looking at expansion of the plant is based on capacity that’s already in use and the capacity allocated for existing infill and proposed development,” Levie said. “It’s hitting a level now where the MECP will compel expansion before they permit any additional sewage be added to the system.”
The original plant was built in 1975, servicing Haliburton village. An expansion was first considered in the early 1980s, extending the system to resorts on the north shore of Lake Kashagawigamog. That was completed in 1995.
Levie said he has confirmed with MECP that the environmental assessment (EA) done for that extension, more than 30 years ago, is still valid providing the township follows the long-term expansion plans outlined in the initial design.
“The plant was built with expansion in mind. Conestoga-Rovers & Associates, the firm that completed that plan, pre-identified and pre-selected technology and processes that will support the plant going forward… the MECP confirmed the existing class EA is still suitable for the proposed expansion,” Levie said.
During last week’s meeting, coun. Pat Casey asked if alternative, more modern technologies had been considered for the build over the current activated sludge process for biological nutrient removal (BNR). He brought up membrane bioreactors, a process that uses micro or ultra filtration to separate solid and liquid waste. They’re seen as an effective solution for systems near ecologically sensitive areas.
Levie said those membranes enhance BNR systems and don’t replace them. Going down that road would add another two years and between $4 million and $6 million to the project.
While most municipal systems use a threestep method for filtration, there have been proposals to add another step to further purify wastewater, akin to reverse osmosis. It would more than double the cost, adding another $10 million to $20 million.
“There’s not a lot of benefits to either at this stage,” Levie said. “You’ve got a very environmentally sound facility, it’s got tight affluent limits going out, the lowest of any plant in Minden, Huntsville and Muskoka area.”
Project vital for growth
In a follow-up interview June 27, Fearrey told The Highlander that development of the 91.5-acre property on County Road 21 that Dysart bought for $1.725 million in July 2023 hinges on the sewage plant expansion.
With a 10-figure sticker price, the mayor is hoping the Ontario government will contribute to the rebuild.
“They’ve laid a lot of money out because they want more housing. Well, we can’t do more housing of any major density here unless we cut sewers (don’t provide sewer hookups), so I think we would qualify for some provincial money,” Fearrey said.
The township is also investigating a public-private partnership to pay for the project, which it did back in 1995. He said they will have a better idea on costs and potential opportunities once the project goes to tender, likely next year.
Fearrey said some initial design work is underway for the CR21 property. Conversations are continuing with interested developers, with the mayor expecting firm proposals later this year. He believes the land could accommodate at least 100 new homes.
“We want to get going, but there are rules we have to follow and steps we have to take. The first thing is the sewage plant, then we can really focus on what’s next for that land,” Fearrey said.
