The Metro Vancouver Regional District selected Fraser Delta Group, a joint venture of AECOM Canada Ltd. and Jacobs Consultancy Canada Inc., to provide design and engineering services for its $7 billion Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade project in British Columbia, announced the contractors November 25
Metro Vancouver plans to upgrade and expand its existing plant, which was built in 1963. It currently processes about 200 billion liters of wastewater each year and serves about 750,000 people. Local authorities have predicted that it will serve more than 950,000 people by 2051.
“Amid increased demand driven by population growth, stricter regulatory discharge requirements and the need for operational efficiency, new and innovative ways to expand wastewater system capacity continue to emerge,” he said. Katus Watson, senior vice president at Jacobs, said in a statement.
The project would transform the Canadian plant from a primary to a tertiary treatment facility with the goal of improving water quality in the Salish Sea and the nearby Fraser River, which has the largest population of salmon in the British Columbia.
The upgrades are also planned to allow the plant to reclaim reclaimed water for non-potable uses and capture biogas for use in generating heat at the plant and supplying natural gas for FortisBC’s distribution system. Improvements to the plant site will also provide protection against earthquakes and sea level rise.
The JV team previously completed a report on the Metro Vancouver project and is currently leading a pilot program testing new technologies for the first phase of upgrades. This first phase is expected to be complete in 2027.
“All water has value and can be reclaimed and revitalized,” Watson said. “This is critical to delivering this transformative upgrade to Metro Vancouver’s wastewater treatment and keeping local communities and coastal waters healthy for years to come.”
Metro Vancouver is also planning some related work, including the construction of a barge dock to eliminate the need to deliver construction materials by truck. Officials have not yet selected a site for the docking. Metro Vancouver is also planning improvements to the causeway connecting Iona to Sea Island, including shoreline restoration, roadway improvements and the construction of a greenway for cyclists and pedestrians.
The plant is scheduled to become operational in 2035, and officials plan to complete other construction and associated green restorations by 2038.
