The French Creek Pollution Control Centre Expansion and Odour Control Upgrade will receive $733,312 in approved grant funding.
The money comes from from Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – CleanBC Communities Fund Program by the government of Canada and province of British Columbia.
The Regional District of Nanaimo is undertaking the FCPCC expansion to meet growing wastewater service demands to 2040 through increased capacity, renew aging infrastructure and improve odour control. The grant will be used to fund two sustainable design features of the new process building: solar panels and heat recovery.
“We thank the government of Canada and province of British Columbia for supporting our efforts to become more sustainable,” said Tyler Brown, RDN chair. “The solar panels and heat recovery system will help meet the standards outlined in the RDN Green Building Policy and the Corporate Climate Change Plan as well as support our goal of RDN buildings being net-zero for emissions by 2032.”
READ MORE: RDN: Federal funds sought for multimillion-dollar projects in French Creek, Nanoose Bay
Installation of 144 solar panels on the roof of the new process building will produce an estimated 44.7kW in capacity of electrical power. This will offset electricity used in the operation of the wastewater facility; reducing the need to buy power. An effluent heat recovery system for the new process building will offset natural gas and electricity that would otherwise be needed to heat the building.
FCPCC provides secondary treatment of wastewater for 29,100 people including private residences and businesses in Qualicum Beach, Parksville, and the French Creek, Pacific Shores, Surfside and Barclay Crescent RDN wastewater service areas.
FCPCC also treats trucked waste from homes with septic systems and holding tanks. For information, visit rdn.bc.ca/wastewater-services.
— NEWS Staff