A $10-million new phosphorus removal facility will be built this year at Red Deer’s wastewater treatment site.
Alberta Environment has green-lit the construction of a new City of Red Deer facility that will separate phosphorus from one of the wastewater streams, saving municipal workers much time and energy cleaning out or replacing pipes and valves.
Geoff Stewardson, wastewater superintendent for the city, said phosphorus, like calcium, sticks to the sides of piping and is very difficult to remove. “Sometimes we have to replace the whole pipe, which is expensive.”
This new “nutrient management system” will separate phosphorus from the bio-solid wastewater stream, so the sand-like material can be bagged for horticultural or farm use.
The fertilizer is expected to become a revenue-saver, or generator, for the city if it ends up being used in municipal parks or sold to customers, added Stewardson. “We haven’t (discussed) all of the options yet…”
Phosphorus is a mineral that naturally occurs in many foods and is also available as a supplement. The wastewater that goes back into the Red Deer River does not contain this mineral as it would cause explosive algae growth that’s detrimental to fish and other aquatic life.
Stewardson said phosphorus now remains with bio-solids, which are spread on farm fields as a fertilizer.
However, some of the mineral also stays in the city’s wastewater system by caking onto pipes and valves, and the new removal system will address this problem.
He expects construction of the new nutrient management facility to start sometime this spring on the wastewater treatment centre’s grounds. The facility will utilize some existing decommissioned underground storage tanks and pipes, but a new building and some new equipment will be required, Stewardson explained.
He expects it to be operational sometime in 2025.
While phosphorus removal is not yet mandated by the government, Stewardson noted that many other municipalities in Canada and the U.S. have these kinds of removal systems.