2011 Conference Field Trips
In an effort to preserve water quality in a stretch of the Red Deer River that serves over 125,000 people, in 2006 the
Province of Alberta initiated a policy that new River discharges would not be allowed between the Dickson Dam and the
City of Red Deer Water Treatment Plant intake. This policy, coupled with the Province’s Water For Life Strategy, led to
the Development of the Central Alberta Regional Wastewater Master Plan, endorsed by 16 municipalities in Central Alberta,
for centralization of wastewater treatment in Central Alberta at the City of Red Deer Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).
The first stage of the regionalization initiative is to connect the Towns of Bowden, Innisfail and Olds, as well as
Mountain View County and Red Deer County to the WWTP through a new wastewater system to be owned and operated by the
South Red Deer Regional Wastewater Commission (SRDRWC). Supporting this connection requires the largest expansion ever
undertaken at the WWTP, including upgrades to all of the plant’s existing major process components. Upon full connection
of the SRDRWC and completion of WWTP upgrades in Red Deer, three upstream wastewater plant discharges will be taken out
of service and wastewater treatment standards for a population of nearly 20,000 people will instantly be increased,
reducing ammonia, biological oxygen demand and total suspended solids concentrations in the River, plus providing
ultraviolet disinfection of the discharged water.
Stantec and the City of Red Deer are sponsoring this tour. The first part of the tour is an overview of the existing
system and proposed upgrades over the next number of years. The second part of the tour will be at the Wastewater Treatment
Plant showing the process and areas to be upgraded.
Planed Expansion
"The Olds College Botanic Garden and Treatment Wetlands is a nine acre research-scale "polishing wetlands" and desalination
system, adjoined to an esthetically-pleasing Botanical Garden, for the treatment of waste water and produced water - achieving
Alberta's Water for Life strategy by producing high-quality recycled water through the removal of sediments, contaminants and
undesirable nutrients. The site also provides a dedicated laboratory for research and water quality testing, outdoor laboratory for students, an industry training site, and a nucleus for community programs - all in one. The project is designed to enhance hands-on practical training opportunities for college and industry programs."
"The Olds College School of Environment is conducting a 400 square foot 3 year research trial with a focus on overwintering
capabilities of 10 different perennial plants on a green roof application which is located on the newly completed Ralph Klein
Centre. In the spring of 2011, green roof module trays with 8 native grass varieties will be installed on the roof sites. The
research project will include overwintering trials of the native grasses while measuring growth performance of the grasses in
growing medium mixes containing various percentages of biochar amendments"
