A collapsed pipe is the likely cause of a blockage in the transfer line between two primary cells in the Martensville municipal sewage lagoon.
And according to a report tabled at the Martensville City Council meeting October 13, a costly repair is needed as soon as possible.
The report stated the city’s public works crews have made numerous unsuccessful efforts to clear the blockage in the line between Primary Cells 1 and 2 in the lagoon.
In the meantime, the overflow bypass is being used. However, the city’s contracted engineers recommend a repair as quickly as possible because surface sludge is also flowing between cells.
The cost of the repair is estimated to be $46,875. This was not included in the city’s 2020 municipal budget.
City council is expected to allocate the necessary funds at its regular council meeting on Tuesday, October 20. A motion to that effect is slated to come before council at that meeting.
The city’s public works department said the repairs should be made as soon as possible, not only because of environmental and quality concerns, but also because the level of the lagoon is lowest in the fall.
“This fall is the most economical time to proceed with this repair,” stated the report, noting that the cost would be more in the spring due to higher water levels and other factors.
The City of Martensville is currently concluding the final details of a $20 million joint water and wastewater project with the City of Saskatoon. A memorandum of understanding for the project was signed in 2014.
The upgrades in the joint system include: improvements to the existing lagoon; a new gravity conveyance system to connect to the City of Saskatoon’s sanitary sewer system; upgrades to the Martensville sewage lift station; improvements to the water supply reservoir and pumping stations; and a new water main that will connect to Saskatoon’s drinking water supply system.
However, until those upgrades are in place, the municipal lagoon continues to be used to treat municipal effluent.
Funding to substantially complete these upgrades was obtained through a New Build Canada Fund grant ($20.16 million) the City received in early 2019. The upgrades should be complete by 2022.