Tests are carried out at the factory by experts, according to Mayor Michel Angers. He reports that the pilot wastewater treatment unit, whose role is to filter discharges of materials into the environment, has so far produced conclusive results.
The City makes it a point of honor to respect the schedule presented on March 30 for the implementation of the plan to restart the station. It expects to receive the last membranes and additional pieces of equipment ordered for this purpose by mid-May. Some of these new filtration membranes expected to relaunch the plant have already been delivered.
Respect the directives of the Ministry of the Environment
When the plant is restarted, the City estimates that 7 mg/L of suspended solids will be discharged into the Perchaude stream, whereas the limit requested by the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change is of 10mg/L.
A monthly average limit of 20 mg per liter had previously been granted by the Ministry. The natural concentration of suspended solids in Perchaude Creek is estimated at 30 mg per litre.
Liquid sludge will be evacuated to the Ermitage wastewater treatment plant by the Trois-Rivières company EBI Envirotech. They will then be treated and dewatered by the station’s existing sludge management system. Mud lifting operations will be done two to three times a day during the first phase. They will resume their lessons afterwards, that is to say once a week.
$2.8 million to restart the water treatment plant
On Tuesday evening, the municipal council adopted a loan by-law of $2.8 million for the rental of the pilot unit and the costs associated with the treatment of the plant’s waste. The amount that will actually be spent will be added to the municipal debt, which should increase citizens’ tax bills.
Mayor Angers, however, argues that the pricing of drinking water is lower than those of comparable municipalities. It’s not high pricing, so we’ll make the adjustments. We didn’t hide from anyone
says Mayor Michel Angers, who is playing the transparency card.
Boil water advisory still in effect
The City of Shawinigan reiterates its recommendations to boil the water for users of the Lac à la Pêche aqueduct network, i.e. the Saint-Gérard-des-Laurentides, Shawinigan-Sud, Lac-à-la-Tortue sectors and so on. than a large part of the Shawinigan sector.
Residents of these sectors can refer to the six drinking water distribution points still in operation. However, the opening hours will be modified in some places during the Easter holiday.
Support populations affected by the shortage of drinking water
The City is aware of the consequences that the problem of shortage of drinking water can generate. It nevertheless intends to close the arenas and consider an alternative for the distribution of water at the cisterns of the Gilles-Bourassa arena and the Center Gervais Auto. The distribution points will be located outside the arenas from the beginning of May.
The City is also announcing that a maximum amount of nearly $100,000 will be granted to the private CHSLD Vigie les Chutes and private residences for the elderly (RPA). Since these establishments are affected by the preventive boil water advisory in effect for the Lac à la Pêche aqueduct network, the mayor intends to remedy the situation.
We are on schedule that we announced on March 30. Our goal is still to allow the boil water advisory to be lifted in July. In the meantime, we continue to implement measures to mitigate the impact of the preventive boil water advisory on our population.
underlines the mayor Michel Angers in a press release.
The City invites citizens to consult its website to learn about all the latest provisions relating to the Lac-à-la-pêche water treatment plant.
With information from Jacob Côté
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