1. WRSSC Regional Sewage Services Commission
2017 Annual Report

2. Background
The WRSSC Regional Sewage Services Commission was established in 1994 by Regulation of the Government of Alberta.
The Commission is composed of two members each from the Town Councils of Turner Valley and Black Diamond.
Commission members are appointed for four year terms.
The Commission’s operations are funded by the Towns of Turner Valley and Black Diamond according to their proportional annual sewage flows.

3. Historic Flow Rates by Town (imp gallons)
Proportion by Town
Turner Valley
Black Diamond
Total
Inc/Dec over Prev Yr TV BD
2017
50,113,828
64,045,620
114,159,448
.89
0.44
0.56
2016
54,171,497
74,068,325
128,239,822
.92
0.42
0.58
2015
53,975,212
74,575,543
128,550,755
.76
2014
69,255,638
113,241,704
182,497,342
1.13
0.38
0.62
2013
68,887,160
92,626,761
161,513,921
0.95
0.43
0.57
2012
64,229,813
105,442,947
169,672,760
0.89
2011
79,322,632
111,832,984
191,155,616
1.49
0.41
0.59
2010
58,129,978
69,935,422
128,065,400
1.18
0.45
0.55
2009
58,234,310
50,021,690
108,256,000
0.82
0.54
0.46
2008
65,076,110
67,458,890
132,535,000
0.99
0.49
0.51
2007
64,003,250
69,783,750
133,787,000
0.48
0.52

4. Commission Members November 2017- October 2021
John Waring, Chair Ted Bain, Vice Chair Brian Marconi, Member Garry Raab, Member

5. Background cont’d
The Commission does not have any staff; rather, it contracts operations staff through the Town of Black Diamond, it contracts engineering services through MPE Engineering and contracts administrative services through an independent contractor.
Tom Dougall is the principal operator of the WRSSC facilities.
Laurie McCreary-Burke as Secretary/Treasurer provides all administrative work for the Commission.

6. 2017 Financial Statements
2017 audited financial statements were approved at the Commission meeting March 27, 2018.
The Commission’s financial statements and minutes of meetings are posted on the WRSSC’s website at

7. Current and Ongoing Issues Cont’d:
TURNER VALLEY TRUNK MAIN RELOCATION
In September 2015 the Town of Turner Valley applied to ACRP on WRSSC’s behalf for funding to relocate the Turner Valley portion of the trunk main that is still in the river valley.
Turner Valley received approval for funding in February and is managing this project.
ACRP will contribute $720,000 and WRSSC has taken an $80,000 debenture to cover the remaining costs of this project.
The relocation project crosses the 11th fairway of the Turner Valley golf course so the construction portion of this project could not begin until the course closed in mid-October 2017.
We anticipate the project will be completed in April/May once the snow clears and damage to the course can be remediated.

8. Current and Ongoing Issues Cont’d:
BLACK DIAMOND TRUNK MAIN RELOCATION
In the spring of 2015, Standard General was awarded the contract for moving WRSSC’s sewer trunk main in Black Diamond out of the river valley.
This DRP/FREC construction project was substantially complete by mid-September, 2015.
The relocated portion of the sewer line and the design change from an enclosed forcemain to a gravity flow included strategically placed manholes along the pipeline.
This type of design is now the standard used in wastewater pipelines.
Unfortunately, we had several commissioning problems including H2S off-gassing from the new manholes.
As a consequence of the H2S issue, WRSSC will use the new trunk main only when there is threat of flooding.
Whenever the new trunk main is used, chemical will be injected to prevent H2S production in the line.

9. Current and Ongoing Issues Cont’d:
TURNER VALLEY LIFT STATION UPGRADE
In 2016 WRSSC issued a debenture for $400,000 to be used toward upgrading the electronics in the Turner Valley Lift Station electrical building.
WRSSC is using DRP funding to renovate the Turner Valley Lift Station electrical building to accommodate storage of the bioxide needed for on-going chemical injection.
We tendered both these projects together to achieve economies of scale.
These projects commenced in November 2017 and will be completed by May of 2018.

10. Current and Ongoing Issues Cont’d:
OVER-STRENGTH SEWAGE BYLAW/POLICY
The problems with the new trunk main in Black Diamond brought to light the impact of over strength sewage and understanding H2S spikes.
Consequently, WRSSC reviewed over-strength sewage policies and bylaws of a number of municipalities and identified that BOD5, TSS and FOG are the three most common parameters monitored and surcharged.
WRSSC has an agreement with the two municipalities stipulating WRSSC will apply a surcharge to a municipality if it’s flow contains over-strength sewage but neither the means of monitoring sewage strength, the parameters defining over-strength sewage nor the amount of surcharge to be levied are defined.
WRSSC drafted an over-strength sewage bylaw and has passed this on to the municipalities as it is only municipal bylaws that have a mechanism for enforcement.

11. Current and Ongoing Issues Cont’d:
BLOWER MALFUNCTION
On December 29, 2017, WRSSC’s new Aerzen blower exploded.
WRSSC had purchased and installed the new blower in April
WRSSC and MPE have been working with our insurer to file a claim.
We have requested that the Aerzen blower be replaced with a Lamson blower.

12. Current and Ongoing Issues:
LAGOON UPGRADE PROJECT
When the WRSSC’s licence to operate was renewed in October 2016, AEP requested WRSSC to file an upgrade plan by October 2017 indicating the effluent requirements WRSSC will meet after the facilities are upgraded.
Currently the upgrade is estimated at approximately $17M which we expect will be funded by the Alberta Municipal Water Wastewater Partnership (61%), off-site levies contributed by the two Towns (amount TBA) and the remainder will be funded by issue of debentures.
We anticipate the upgrade project will commence once WRSSC receives approval for the project from AMWWP.

13. Current and Ongoing Issues Cont’d:
LAGOON UPGRADE PROJECT DRAWINGS

14. LAGOON UPGRADE COST ESTIMATE (September 2017 $)
Description
Stage 1A
Stage 1B
Stage 2
1.0
General Requirements
951,000
25,000
376,000
2.0
Xfr Lft Stn Upgrades
514,000
3.0
Cell Upgrade (1A, 1B, 2, 3A, 3B)
330,000
4.0
New Partial Mix Cell (3C)
40,000
1,043,000
5.0
New SAGR System (Cells 3D1,D2,D3)
2,258,000
1,126,000
6.0
Aeration System (All Cell + SAGR)
2,111,000
753,000
7.0
Chemical Storage Bldg (Alum)
698,000
8.0
Fine Screening & UV Disinfection Bldg
1,199,000
223,000
9.0
Outlet to Sheep River
788,000
Subtotal
8,889,000
248,000
3,298,000
Contingency (20%)
1,778,000
50,000
660,000
Engineering (15%)
1,600,000
45,000
594,000
Third Party Testing (3% civil work)
100,000
78,000
Total
12,370,000
340,000
4,630,000
Grand Total
17,340,000

15. Cost of Upgrade Project
Debt as of December 31, 2017
Total Debt Limit
$1,505,310
Total Debt
$675,709
$829,601
Debt servicing limit
$263,429
Debt servicing
$144,865
$118,564
Cost of Upgrade Project
Total Estimated Cost (2017$)
$17,340,000
AMWWM Grant (61%)
$10,577,400
Remaining
$6,762,600
WRSSC Capital Reserve (est)
$276,000
Off-site levy BD (est)
$237,147
Off-site levy TV (est)
$131,000
Remaining for WRSSC Debenture
$6,118,453
Will need Ministerial Approval to incur this much debt
Annual Increase to Requisition (est)
BD $146,220
TV $105,883

16. Current and Ongoing Issues Cont’d:
STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES
Following a retreat in November 2016, the Commission met with the CAOs on March 3, 2017 to outline the structural, financial and personnel challenges the Commission is encountering including operating out of a home office.
The Commission then met with SRRUC on April 11, 2017 to commence discussions about a possible merger.
In August of 2017, Town of Black Diamond set aside space in its lower level to enable WRSSC to store its archives.
Following the municipal elections in October 2017 four new members were appointed to the Commission.
In December 2017, SRRUC sought approval from the two Towns to apply for a grant to further explore the ramifications of merging WRSSC with SRRUC.

17. Questions?