WCW26

In 2022, the Town of Lumsden replaced its aging lagoon system with a modern Class 3 mechanical wastewater treatment facility, demonstrating how innovative design and strategic planning can deliver sustainable, cost‑effective infrastructure within tight regulatory and financial constraints. Designed to serve 2,500 residents in Stage 1 and 3,700 in Stage 2, the new plant provides a scalable treatment solution tailored for growing small communities seeking enhanced environmental protection.
 
The project included construction of a new main lift station, headworks building, process building, and a community‑focused odor control strategy. The liquid treatment train incorporates screening, grit removal, two sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), and UV disinfection. Solids management systems include sludge pumping and storage, rotary drum thickening, dual aerobic/anoxic digesters, centrifuge dewatering, and dedicated biosolids storage. Chemical treatment, aluminum sulfate for phosphorus removal, polymer for thickening and dewatering, and sodium carbonate for alkalinity, supports reliable, optimized performance. Since commissioning, the facility has consistently met all provincial effluent requirements, including CBOD₅, TSS, ammonia, E. coli, total nitrogen, phosphorus, and acute lethality parameters.
 
This presentation will walk through the project lifecycle, from planning and design through construction and commissioning, highlighting key challenges, lessons learned, and successes. The Lumsden WWTP showcases Stantec’s modular approach to capacity planning, with an initial two‑basin SBR system that meets current needs while streamlining future expansion for a growing community.