By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
The RM of Corman Park has given its endorsement to a project referred to as a “game-changer” for the region in terms of its importance to neighbouring communities and future development — a proposed pipeline corridor project serving a new biosolids processing facility for the City of Saskatoon.
Councillors voted 5-3 at their September 23 meeting to endorse the biosolids pipeline corridor subject to the City of Saskatoon receiving provincial funding for the project.
Councillors Art Pruim (Division 5), Steven Balzer (Division 6) and Calvin Vaandrager (Division 7) voted against the motion. Councillor Lyndon Haduik (Division 3) was absent.
According to an administration report, biosolids are stabilized materials recovered at the end of the wastewater treatment process.
Director of infrastructure and public works Hayder Lateef said the City of Saskatoon operates a biosolid handling facility in the northern part of the RM, east of Highway 11 and south of Lutheran Road.
The facility treats biosolids transported via underground pipeline from the city’s wastewater treatment plant, removing pollutants so that the treated solids can be spread as fertilizer on agricultural land.
Two pipelines build in 1984 and 2005 currently transport biosolids from the treatment plant to the handling facility. Unfortunately, the condition of both pipelines is deteriorating, and they are prone to blockages and leaks.
Under the city’s current plan, “they will be replaced with higher-capacity pipelines designed to prevent blockages that affect the current system,” Lateef said.
The project will consist of at least five pipelines, including three biosolids transfer lines, one potable water line, and one large wastewater line. A potential sixth “purple water” line connected to a future industrial hub within the RM may also be added.
Although this is a city-led project, the facility and the pipeline project will play a “critical regional role,” Lateef said, adding, “It supports not only Saskatoon’s wastewater operations, but also the RM residents who rely on the City of Saskatoon facility for septic disposal.”
As well, it ties into the larger servicing plan for the area north of Saskatoon, including the potential purple water line and new water/wastewater pipelines for Martensville.
These latter upgrades are necessary to accommodate the City of Martensville’s future growth and meet new Water Security Agency requirements, Lateef indicated.
The project will also have positive impacts on the RM in terms of reduced risk of leakage from the older pipelines and the need for less maintenance by the city, as the pipelines will incorporate new technology and improved designs.
PIPELINE ROUTE
Where the RM is involved is the proposed routing of a pipeline that will run for two miles in the east and west ditches of Range Road 3051, 1.5 miles of which are undeveloped, and for one mile along the north ditch of Township Road 382.
Construction of this pipeline will occur adjacent to seven RM landowners and across the road from 11 others.
Lateef indicated the city will work with those landowners to obtain temporary access agreements for easements or excavation. As well, the city will also co-ordinate with the RM in regards to short-term detours when road disruptions inevitably occur.
The proposed route was chosen as it would have the least impact on local residents and the nearby Opimihaw Creek, as well as create the fewest conflicts with the future Saskatoon/Corman Park freeway.
That last point is crucial to consider: in August, the Ministry of Highways indicated it will not allow the pipeline to be located within the freeway framework.
During the city’s engagement with the RM and affected ratepayers, a number of potential alternate routes have been suggested, but these have a number of issues, most notably a conflict with the future freeway.
Ultimately, administration’s recommendation was for council to endorse the proposed biosolids pipeline corridor project as is.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Reeve Joe Hargrave put forward the motion to endorse the project, noting that it was crucial to the RM’s neighbours and could hugely benefit Corman Park from an economic perspective.
“This potentially could bring major industrial developers and businesses that employ hundreds and hundreds of people,” he said.
“There are major industrial projects that are looking for property, that are looking to come to somewhere. But if you’re not ready, they will not come.”
Hargrave said he realized that this project will create some temporary inconvenience for residents, acknowledging he wouldn’t be happy about it if it was occuring besides his home.
But he pointed out the city is committed to this project and the RM will hold their feet to the fire. “Things will be done properly,” he said.
Noting that he had been in contact with the affected landowners, Pruim said he still had a lot of questions about the project and felt other proposed routes would have less impact on ratepayers.
He proposed two amendments: first, to make the project contingent on receiving provincial funding; and second, to require the city to build up Range Road 3051 to a 30-metre right-of-way secondary road paved standard.
Pruim said the road would have to be built up anyways, but if the city was actually going to install manholes at various access points along the road, it should be paved.
A representative from the City of Saskatoon indicated that manholes would be placed mostly on the upslope of the ditches, with only one section of road having a manhole placed within it.
Even so, Pruim suggested the paving of the road would be a way of getting local residents on side with the project.
Hargrave indicated he had no issue with the RM’s endorsement being contingent on provincial funding, but he would not amend his motion to introduce the paving requirement for Range Road 3051.
“I think the project is too important to let it hang on one thing,” he said.
However, Hargrave promised the rest of council that he would meet with city administration and do his “very best” to convince them to get Range Road 3051 paved.
Division 8 Councillor Wendy Trask agreed with Hargrave, noting that the project was “way too important” to the RM and neighbouring municipalities to muddy the waters at this time.
“We all know that this is going to be a game-changer for the RM going forward,” she said.