COST - Fast Track Program to Construct a Micro Filtration Plant

The project included improvements to the intake and settling pond. The water treatment plant building houses the raw water strainers, the membrane system, gas chlorination system, peak draw treated water pumps, standby power generation as well as an office and laboratory. The project included a residuals disposal system, a 910,000 Ml clearwell and all the outside piping to integrate the plant with the existing transmission system. Finally the project scope included both a plant and City SCADA system. The plant operates under a gravity water supply through the plant with limited treated water pumping for peak summer draws only. The residuals disposal from the plant under permit from the Ministry of Environment Lands and Parks is by gravity to settling ponds.

A schematic of the water treatment system is provided on Figure 2.

A schematic of the plant floor plan is provided on Figure 3.

Capital Cost

Operation and Maintenance Costs

Unit Cost of Water Treatment

Consumers Cost of Water

9.1 - Capital Cost

The total final costs to project completion are as follows:

1.	Intake and Settling Pond Modifications	$245,000
2.	Excavation, Backfill, Yard Piping	410,000
3.	Clearwell Reservoir (Concrete, Rebar)	150,000
4.	Building (Shell, Footings, Trusses, Roof System, Block Wall, & Interior Finishes)	400,000
5.	Mechanical (Process, Building and Membrane Equipment Installation)	595,000
6.	Electrical, Instrumentation and Membrane Equipment Installation	425,000
7.	SCADA System	300,000
8.	Membrane Equipment Supply	2,535,000
9.	Engineering	200,000
10.	Construction Management	200,000
11.	Site costs, First Aid, Insurance	200,000
12.	Other	180,000
13.	Taxes	160,000
Total Project Cost		$6,000,000

The total project capital cost was $6,000,000 with the cost for the membrane system being $2,535,000.

9.2 - Operation and Maintenance Costs

The estimated annual operation and maintenance costs of the Greeley Creek water treatment plant are as follows:

1.	Wages	$40,000
2.	Fringe Benefits	13,000
3.	Freight	500
4.	Telephone/SCADA
	- Radio License	500
	- Telephone (2 lines)	2,500
	- Technical Support	10,000
5.	Insurance	7,500
6.	Contracted Services	5,000
7.	Internal Equipment Rental (Snow Removal)	5,000
8.	Materials and Supplies
	- Membrane replacement (8 year cycle)	55,000
	- Chemicals	5,000
	- Replacement parts	10,000
9.	Utilities (Electrical/Propane)	35,000
10.	Other	5,000
TOTAL		$194,000

The total City budget for plant including labour (one full time equivalent), mechanical and materials costs is $194,000. The City will operate the plant with the existing labour force. The exception is that an electrical instrumentation technician has been hired to work not only at the plant but also on other City facilities.

9.3 - Unit Cost of Water Treatment

The cost of water treatment includes the capital debt retirement costs plus the annual operation and maintenance costs. The debt servicing is through the Provincial Government's Municipal Finance Authority. The total annual debt retirement costs, including the Province's obligation, are $562,000 and the annual operation and maintenance costs are $194,000. The total annual cost of the water treatment plant is about $756,000. The estimated 2007 total volume of water treated is 2,628 ML. The unit cost of water is $0.29/m3 made up of operation and maintenance costs of $0.08/m3 and capital debt repayment costs of $0.21/m3.

9.4 - Consumers Cost of Water

In the absence of metering the City water utility bills on a flat rate. Prior to the Greeley Creek project the residential rates were $125 per year. The annual rate per residential connection was increased to $175/year on July 1, 1999 and on January 2000 increased to $225/year. The City's 10 year strategic Financial Management Plan anticipates the water rate leveling out at $275/year in 2002. This includes the impact of the Province assuming fifty percent of the water treatment plant capital debt retirement costs and reserves for planned capital works.