Joint Abbotsford - Mission Environmental System J.A.M.E.S.  Water Pollution Control Centre Stage VI Expansion - Completed January, 2001 Official Open House - October 2001 Click on photo to left to enlarge

BEFORE THE STAGE VI EXPANSION 

The first stage of the J.A.M.E.S. Water Pollution Control Centre was constructed in 1980 to treat the wastewater from 60,000 persons to a level intermediate between primary and secondary.

In order to treat the increasing volume of strong industrial and commercial waste and to maintain the effluent quality at the required level, chemical addition was implemented.  The chemical treatment resulted in a high operating cost for chemicals and produced chemical sludge. 

To avoid the high cost of chemicals, and at the same time to improve discharge to the Fraser River, the Fraser Valley Regional District authorized the Water Pollution Control Centre second stage expansion, which was completed in 1989.  This expansion changed the treatment process to a secondary Trickling Filter-Solids Contact process.

Subsequent upgrades resulted in the expansion of secondary treatment facilities required because of growing residential and industrial loadings, as well as the connection of new sewerage areas to the plant, such as Mission and Aldergrove.
 

 

The Stage VI expansion, which was completed in January 2001, increases the treatment capacity of the plant to a sewage equivalent of 240,000 persons. At the design stage, the serviced population and industry is equivalent to 160,000 persons. The expansion approximately doubles the pre-existing primary sedimentation, grit removal and anaerobic digestion facilities.

Site Plan Schematic Click on photo above to enlarge

In addition, the Stage VI expansion now provides a nitrification process, as well as a solids pasteurization process and a biosolids storage facility. 

The nitrification process treats the high strength wastewater that is generated in the biosolids dewatering process and reduces the concentration of ammonia effluent released into the Fraser River to benign levels. (Ammonia is toxic to fish in high concentrations.)

The pasteurization process provides a Class "A" Biosolids Treatment System, which allows the biosolids to be re-used for a wide range of purposes including silviculture, horticulture, parkland, golf courses, mine reclamation and use as a garden compost.



THE CLASS "A" BIOSOLIDS TREATMENT SYSTEM

Prior to the expansion, the plant produced Class "B" biosolids. Biosolids are the treated, solids end-product of the wastewater treatment process. The Class "B" designation refers to biosolids with high concentrations of pathogens (disease-causing organisms). Provincial regulations restrict the re-use potential of Class "B" biosolids, resulting in biosolids being hauled to disposal sites in the B.C. interior instead of being beneficially re-used in the local community. 

The Stage VI expansion includes a Dual Digestion process that produces Class "A" biosolids. This process includes a high temperature aerobic pasteurization process (new in Stage VI) coupled with a mesophilic anaerobic digestion process. 

The pasteurization process uses an innovative Venturi eductor system which injects air into the process for aeration. The use of ordinary air in this process is more cost-effective than the use of oxygen in comparative processes. 

	Improved process efficiency since the Stage VI expansion has reduced biosolids haulage costs and increased methane gas production, which reduced heating and electricity costs. Methane gas is consumed in boilers to produce heat and consumed in an engine-generator to produce electricity. The plant now produces virtually pathogen-free Class "A" biosolids. After one year of proven operation of the Dual Digestion process, the Fraser Valley Regional District is investigating alternatives for Class "A" biosolids re-use within the community. These alternatives include silviculture, commercial composting, and use by homeowners for garden topsoil and compost.
New Dual Digestion Facility          Click on photo above to enlarge

The Stage VI Expansion makes J.A.M.E.S. the third largest secondary treatment plant in British Columbia. 

The Stage VI expansion was designed, and the construction administered by Dayton & Knight Ltd.,

Construction was carried out by Tritech Industries Ltd. and by Neelco Construction Ltd.


 

If you wish to know more about the J.A.M.E.S. plant, please contact:

John Boyle (jboyle@dayton-knight.com), P.Eng.

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