By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
For now, the RM of Corman Park has renewed its endorsement of the proposed Biosolids Pipeline Corridor Project, but because of the City of Saskatoon’s inability to secure provincial funding, the municipality is attaching a number of other conditions to the project.
During a special council meeting on February 10, councillors voted to again endorse the Biosolids Pipeline Corridor Project, but with the condition that the city upgrade Range Road 3051 between Penner Road and Township Road 382 to a paved standard and a water/wastewater capacity for the RM must be secured through SaskWater.
As well, the city must commit to taking on the responsibility for decommissioning the old pipelines and place any needed manholes in ditches to avoid an engineering headache.
As noted in a report by Director of Engineering and Infrastructure Hayder Lateef, councillors had previously passed a motion at their September 23 meeting to endorse a proposed pipeline corridor that will serve the City of Saskatoon’s new biosolids processing facility on the condition that the city secure a provincial grant.
Currently, the city operates a biosolids handling facility in the northern part of the RM, east of Highway 11 and south of Lutheran Road. This facility treats biosolids that are transported from the city’s wastewater treatment plant via two underground pipelines constructed in 1984 and 2005.
These older pipelines are deteriorating and are prone to leaks, so the city has been planning for some time to replace them.
The proposed new biosolids pipeline corridor would consist of at least five pipelines (three biosolid transfer lines, one potable water line and one large-diameter wastewater line) with a potential sixth “purple water” line being added as well.
The line running from the city’s wastewater treatment plant to the biosolids facility at least partially runs through the RM of Corman Park, specifically within the north ditch of Township Road 382 and the east and west ditches of Range Road 3051.
While this project is being headed up by the city, Lateef outlined a number of benefits to the RM, such as reducing the amount of maintenance needed with the old pipelines, the addition of a possible “purple” water line that could serve the RM’s industrial park, and the production of fertilizer at the biosolids handling facility that is available for nearby ratepayers.
As well, the city was also proposing to upgrade Range Road 3051 between Penner Road and Township Road 382.
However, as reported by Lateef at the February 10 meeting, the City of Saskatoon has been unable to secure provincial funding for upsizing the water and wastewater line, “which means council’s original condition hasn’t been satisfied.”
Saskatoon City Council has approved funding the upsizing through its budget at an estimated cost of $23 million, but the RM’s endorsement is still required.
Lateef said the project is essentially staying the same as when the RM first endorsed it, but there are some new factors to consider.
For instance, the RM also recently endorsed the City of Martensville’s water and wastewater lines, and this project will require the Saskatoon Biosolids Pipeline Corridor in order to go ahead.
SaskWater is still considering the construction of a smaller pipeline from the wastewater treatment plant to their pump station, which would open up “significant capacity” for development within the RM’s industrial area, Lateef said.
And finally, the Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth (P4G) has written a letter of support for the pipeline corridor project encouraging the RM to continue with its endorsement, noting the project will support the development of a regional servicing hub.
With that in mind, administration’s recommendation was for council to endorse the project with the condition that the city must upgrade Range Road 3051 to an all-weather gravel road standard.
Lateef acknowledged the possibility of having Range Road 3051 paved but pointed out the RM would see maintenance costs for that road would be “significantly more than a gravel road” after 15 years, noting that road doesn’t see a lot of traffic as is.
COUNCIL REACTION
Division 5 Councillor Arthur Pruim said he was “frankly disappointed in the actions of our city partners.”
Pointing out that council had made its first endorsement in September, he noted council has not received any information in the past five months in regards to concerns raised by some councillors over a chemical cleaner that the city would use in these pipelines.
“You have now had five more months to update us with more information and they have not done that whatsoever,” he said.
Pruim had also spoken to individuals with knowledge of construction and engineering and learned that if the city placed manholes necessary for maintenance of the pipelines in a gravel road, it would be an “engineering nightmare.”
Pruim added that he felt the responsibility for decommissioning the old pipelines should be the responsibility of the city, noting that when the oil industry in Saskatchewan drills a well, they are responsible for handling its decommission.
“What’s right about allowing another jurisdiction to leave something as a liability to my municipality?” he asked.
Pruim spoke in favour of having Range 3051 paved as there will be considerable growth in that area, which will take care of added maintenance costs.
He also suggested that if the road is not paved, local residents will be going to Corman Park council in a decade complaining that they are being “dusted out” from the higher volume of traffic.
Division 4 Councillor David Greenwood and Reeve Joe Hargrave expressed agreement with Pruim, though Hargrave said he was still in favour of the project moving ahead but with Range Road 3051 being paved.
Division 6 Councillor Steven Balzer also indicated the RM should not move forward without the city being held responsible for the decommissioning of the old lines.
Pruim ultimately made the motion to endorse the pipeline corridor project but with the added conditions, acknowledging the regional value of the project but also noting his job was to be accountable to the RM and its residents.
This graphic, which was included with the agenda for the September 10 council meeting, shows both the previous route of the pipeline connecting the City of Saskatoon’s wastewater treatment plant and biosolids handling facility and the proposed route of the new pipeline corridor.