Key Points About the Bio-Digester

February 9, 2016

Engineering Assessments
1. In the Spring of 2015, Chatsworth Council engaged an engineering consultant (Conestoga-Rovers
and Associates, or CRA) to review the operation of the Bio-Digester
2. The CRA report dated June 15, 2015 pointed out a number of design and operating problems,
and concluded that even with a possible reduction of operating costs by about 25%, continued
operation could be viable with additional feedstock in the form of Source Separated Organics
(SSO) that command a high tipping fee
3. Tipping fees for SSO are high partly as a result of the need for much more capital (storage,
separating non-organic contents, and removing grit), the costs of which would be in the millions,
not just hundreds of thousands
4. Significant sources of SSO may be available in areas such as the GTA and London, but trucking to
the Bio-Digester, and its small size, take away from its economic attractiveness
5. CRA outlined 3 options for the Bio-Digester
o
o
o

continue with some operational improvements to reduce losses

attempt to lease the Bio-Digester to a third party
put it in mothballs

Present Need for the Bio-Digester

6. At the Chatsworth Council meeting on June 24, 2015 the engineer from CRA stated that the
lagoon had the physical capacity and the necessary MOE approvals to take all of the septage and
sewage generated in the two townships, including from the Sunset Strip (which is mainly grey
water with very little energy content)
7. It was confirmed at the Joint Bio-Digester meeting of June 25, 2015 that the Certificate of
Approval for the lagoon sets a limit of 57.5 cubic metres per day (this is approximately the same
as the design capacity of the Bio-Digester, and more than the present total waste produced in
both townships combined, including the Sunset Strip)
8. If the two townships used the lagoon for all septage and grey water, it would need to be cleaned
out more frequently
9. Recently, Chatsworth Council retained an engineering consultant (GHD Engineering, formerly
CRA) to provide alternatives for disposal of septage

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10. The consultants report (January 28, 2016) made some key observations and conclusions
o
o

o
o
o
o

The most common septic disposal option exercised by ratepayers in both townships (as
well as in most of rural Ontario) is spreading on MOE-approved fields
The report says that the risk is very low that there will not be suitable approved land
to continue to dispose of septage in this manner
Since spreading on approved fields is the least expensive method of disposal, it is
therefore a viable option for the indefinite future and the base case for comparisons
There are some alternatives that appear to be around 30% more expensive than land
application, but these all require major capital expenditures for dewatering
There are other alternatives in the range of 30-40% more expensive than land
application that do not require major capital expenditures
In theory, the Bio-Digester would be an option that is 53% more expensive than land
application, but this doesnt take into account the necessary additional capital and
operating costs and resulting higher tipping fees required for break-even operation
(annual losses have averaged about $340,000 - see next section)

Operating Costs and Revenues

11. The following table is based on the June 15, 2015 CRA report to the Chatsworth Council
12. Costs include future capital and amortization, and Revenues include tipping fees and hydro
generation (exclude subsidies paid by the townships to cover operating losses)
Year
2011 (first year of opn)
2012
2013
2014
2015 (budget forecast)

Cost
$ 329,176
$ 645,055
$ 568,291
$ 502,891
$ 601,500

Revenue
$ 85,562
$ 212,703
$ 181,664
$ 207,374
$ 240,000
Accumulated Loss

Net Revenue
($ 243,614)
($ 432,352)
($ 386,627)
($ 295,519)
($ 316,500)
($ 1,674,612)

13. Note that the figures in the table include the 2015 budget forecast rather than actual results
which are not available
14. In summary, the Bio-Digester has cost Chatsworth $837,306 (about $167,500 per year on
average)

Operating Results
15. The following table shows actual volumes of materials (in cubic metres) taken to the BioDigester, prepared so that an assessment can be made of the value received to date in return
for $167,500 per year on average

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16. Measured volumes are not available, so volume figures are derived from dollar values and
tipping fees in the CRA report (June 15, 2015), consistent with the preceding table
17. Actual dollar figures and volumes for 2015 are not yet available
Year
2011 (first year of opn)
2012
2013
2014

Sunset Strip (m3)

4,530 (86%)
7,520 (73%)
8,140 (81%)
7,840 (71%)

Septic Waste (m3)

66 (1%)
380 (4%)
450 (5%)
1250 (11%)

Other (m3)
700 (13%)
2,400 (23%)
1,380 (14%)
1,980 (18%)

18. Note that the grey water from the Sunset Strip, which makes up about three-quarters of the
volume put into the Bio-Digester, has little energy content and mainly just flows into the lagoon
19. According to the January 28, 2016 GHD report to the Chatsworth Council, the average volume of
septic tanks in Chatsworth is 4.3 cubic metres
20. Assuming the same volume for Georgian Bluffs tanks, dividing the septic waste volume figures in
this table by 4.3 therefore will indicate the total number of tanks taken to the Bio-Digester in
each year, which is shown in the following table (again, no figures are available for 2015)
21. The benefit of the Bio-Digester for Chatsworth is to provide a method of disposal of septic waste
generated in Chatsworth
22. According to the recent GHD report, Chatsworth generates about 4,300 m3 of septic waste per
year and Georgian Bluffs generates about 6,500 m3 (for simplicity, assume 40% - 60%)
23. By Agreement, Chatsworth assumes half of the costs of the Bio-Digester
Year

2011
2012
2013
2014

Septic Waste
(m3) for both
townships
66
380
450
1250

Number of
tanks from both
townships
15
88
105
291

Number of
tanks from
Chatsworth
6
35
42
116

Net cost to
Chatsworth
(half of total)
$ 121,807
$ 216,176
$ 193,313
$ 147,759

Cost per tank

originating in
Chatsworth
$ 20,301
$ 6,176
$ 4,603
$ 1,274

24. The costs in the table carried by all Chatsworth taxpayers and are in addition to the extra
tipping fee of $100-$150 that is paid by individual Chatsworth residents who directed their
septage to the Bio-Digester
25. The costs per tank are lower for Georgian Bluffs because there are about 50% more tanks in
Georgian Bluffs, and because costs for the Sunset Strip are also covered

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