Grey Highlands Council will discuss Wednesday how to approach fixing the Kimberley-Amik-Talisman Water (KAT) Treatment Plant.
Council will receive a study from J.L. Richards and Associates Ltd. that assessed the facility’s condition, performance, and available capacity in response to increased raw water turbidity, aging infrastructure, and uncertainty around future growth.
According to the report, the KAT treatment plant is currently operating at approximately 17 to 21 percent capacity, meeting current demand. However, due to limitations associated with aging equipment, the plant can only reliably achieve about 75 percent of its design capacity.
The assessment also identified deterioration within key components, including corrosion, along with outdated chemical dosing systems and unused infrastructure that should be removed.
The study presents three options for council’s consideration:
Option 1: The total estimated cost ranges from $1,850,000 to $3,250,000. This option is not recommended by staff because it would reduce the plant’s rated capacity from 1,185 m³/day to 590 m³/day.
Option 2: The estimated cost ranges from $3,900,000 to $4,600,000. This option provides full redundancy, meaning each treatment system could independently meet the rated capacity of 1,185 m³/day, with the second system available as standby. Staff do not recommend this option due to the overall cost.
Option 3: The estimated cost is $3,000,000. Staff recommend this option because it provides full redundancy while maintaining the rated capacity.
Staff also recommend that this matter be deferred to a Committee of the Whole for further discussion.