Page 1 of 5

CITY OF KAMLOOPS
SUSTAINABLE KAMLOOPS PLAN

INFORMATION PACKAGE ON WASTEWATER

(Final Version)

BACKGROUND AND BASELINE CONDITIONS

Wastewater consists of the water used within buildings in Kamloops in toilets, sinks, laundry,
dishwashing and related facilities. The collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater is linked
to community sustainability in a number of ways:

• Environmental dimensions of disposing wastewater into streams and onto land, including
potential effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health;

• Economic impacts resulting from the need to construct, operate and maintain the wastewater
system;

• Social aspects, including reduction of odours, and the need to provide an affordable means
for managing wastewater for all residents of Kamloops.

Wastewater is disposed of via two primary means. The first and most prominent is the
community system which serves over 95% of the City’s population, as well as a portion of the
Kamloops Indian Band lands. This system includes:

• Collection pipes which convey raw wastewater from buildings through an extensive network
to the Wastewater Treatment Plant located on Mission Flats Road;

• Where necessary, pump stations to overcome topographic constraints in moving raw

wastewater (there are over 100 such stations);

• Wastewater treatment facilities which comprise a series of anaerobic (oxygen-free) and

aerated ponds coupled with phosphorus removal, chlorination / dechlorination and sludge
disposal facilities. These facilities are illustrated on Figure 1;

Figure 1
 Page 2 of 5

• Disposal system for treated wastewater, including direct outfall to the Thompson River
(approximately 80% of total discharge), and spray irrigation of effluent onto Cinnamon Ridge
Farm and adjacent lands located between the Airport and Tranquille Lands, shown on Figure
2 (approximately 20% of total discharge).

Figure 2

The City has operated the treatment and disposal components of this system over the past 25
years under the conditions of a permit from the BC Ministry of Environment. This permit
specifies the quality of effluent which must be achieved for both the river and spray irrigation
discharges.

In the late 1990s, the BC Ministry of Environment, together with its federal counterparts, began
to raise some concerns with the City’s ability to comply with the quality of effluent being
discharged to the Thompson River. Specifically, there were concerns related to levels of
phosphorus, and ammonia toxicity. This led to an extensive period of study which ultimately
determined an environmentally-sustainable effluent quality, as well as the preferred package of
treatment plant improvements required to achieve that quality.

These treatment plant improvements are being implemented over the next 4 years. Their
estimated cost is $40.2 million, with the federal and provincial governments contributing $14.2
million to the project through the Building Canada Fund.
 Page 3 of 5

The second approach to wastewater treatment and disposal which serves the remainder of the
City is on-site systems, commonly referred to as septic tanks and disposal fields. These
unsewered areas are shown on Figure 3.

Figure 3

GOALS

The following goals will be pursued in evolving wastewater management practices in Kamloops:

• Meet with conditions of the Liquid Waste Management Plan developed by the City of
Kamloops, and approved by the Ministry of Environment. This will include construction of the
treatment plant improvements by 2013;

• Seek additional opportunities to utilize wastewater and its byproducts as a resource, rather
than treat solely as waste.

TARGETS

A key target for the City of Kamloops will be to meet agreed-upon effluent criteria for river and
land (spray irrigation) discharges through construction of the upgraded treatment plant by 2013,
ongoing operations, and continuing dialogue with senior government regulatory authorities.
Current criteria may be expressed as follows:
 Page 4 of 5

• River Discharge

- Total Phosphorus - less than or equal to 1.0 mg/L annual average, and less than or equal
to 1.5 mg/L maximum daily

- Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand - less than or equal to 25 mg/L monthly

average

- Total Suspended Solids - less than or equal to 25 mg/L monthly average

- Faecal Coliforms - less than 200 / 100 mL

- Ammonia - non-acutely toxic or less than or equal to 1.54 mg/L within a prescribed
mixing zone in the Thompson River and river flow

- Disinfection - by ultraviolet light

• Land Discharge

- Biochemical Oxygen Demand - less than 45 mg/L

- Total Suspended Solids - less than 60 mg/L

- Faecal Coliforms - less than 200 / 100 mL

- Disinfection - by chlorination

A number of other targets are identified in the City’s Liquid Waste Management Plan in the
following areas. These will be implemented by 2013.

• Source Control - to manage input to the Wastewater Treatment Plant

• Sewage Reduction - through further water use efficiency efforts

• Unsewered Areas - encourage proper on-site system maintenance; monitor possible impacts
on the North Thompson River from Rayleigh and Heffley Creek

• Biosolids (Sludge) - this is the sludge from the treatment process, which the City currently
composts

• Other Environmentally-Beneficial Initiatives - continued re-use of effluent in the Cinnamon

Ridge Farm area, methane gas capture, outfall improvements, and electricity generation from
gravity-induced flows in the collection system are all examples of initiatives which are
underway, or have potential. Additional opportunities to use wastewater and its byproducts
as a resource will be explored, and viable approaches implemented.
 Page 5 of 5

PROPOSED DIRECTION

City Operations

• Construct upgrades to wastewater treatment plant.

• Identify, research and implement all viable approaches to gaining environmental benefits
from liquid waste collection, treatment and disposal (including byproducts such as biosolids
and methane gas).

City Influencing Community

• Explore source control bylaw to ensure appropriate constituents of wastewater entering

treatment plant.

• Implement water use efficiency efforts to reduce volumes of wastewater generated.

• Educate contributors to wastewater stream regarding importance of minimizing/eliminating

introduction of various substances to wastewater stream (such as food wastes from
restaurants, pharmaceuticals, paints and other inorganic matter).

• Enhance awareness of importance of proper on-site system maintenance.

City Working with Others

• Monitor and assess the quality of effluent-receiving environments. This will include
continuation of the multi-party Thompson River Monitoring Program.