TREATMENT PLANT UPGRADE

The upgrading of the Wastewater Treatment Plant at Silver Star Mountain has recently been started and is projected to be complete by the fall of 2013. This upgrade is required in order to meet more stringent environmental regulations that have recently been set out by the British Columbia Ministry of Environment (MOE), one of which includes the reduction of total nitrogen within the treated water. During the last few years, Silverhawk Utilities (SHU) has been conducting comprehensive sampling and laboratory testing to ensure that the plant upgrade will address all of the recent requirements of the MOE. 

As a result, Silverhawk will be installing as part of the new upgrade a Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR). An MBR is a hybrid wastewater treatment technology that combines biological treatment by activated sludge, and physical treatment by membrane filtration. This type of treatment process is one of the optimal technologies available for treating wastewater. 

An advantage of the MBR is that micro-organisms are almost entirely removed and not just inactivated with a risk of reactivation. Suspended solids can be removed completely (down to less than 1 micron) and bacteria-free treated water produced. The elevated biomass concentration in the MBR process allows for very effective removal of particulate biodegradable materials at higher loading rates. With this new process design, the increased sludge retention times which usually exceed 15 days, ensure complete nitrification even in extremely cold weather.

It has become a proven superior form of treatment because of the following:

  • Elimination of sedimentation tanks
  • No sludge bulking problems
  • High Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS)
  • Short Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT)
  • Controllable Sludge Retention time (SRT)
  • High BOD/COD and nutrient removal efficiency
  • Compact space
  • Less waste sludge volume
  • Produces high quality recyclable treated water

CAPITAL UPGRADE REIMBURSEMENT FUND

Silverhawk Utilities Inc. wishes to notify all customers that it has initiated the Capital Upgrading Reimbursement Fund (CURF), which is required for the upgrading of the sewage treatment plant at Silver Star Mountain.

This required upgrading is a result of an order from the British Columbia Ministry of Environment (MOE).  The MOE has demanded that Silverhawk Utilities add a Nutrient Removal processes to the treatment plant. To achieve this, Silverhawk is currently upgrading our treatment plant with a Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) system. This BNR will greatly improve the treatment quality at Silver Star Mountain by introducing a tertiary treatment process.

A reminder that this upgrade applies to all Silverhawk Customers on Silver Star Mountain. The rate used has been determined by the customer’s demand rating as per their individual demand class (Residential, Hotel, Restaurant, and so forth).

This reimbursement fund is not for an expansion of the treatment plant to allow for new development. It is solely for the significant upgrading of the sewage treatment plant to remove nutrients, specifically nitrogen.

Customers can expect a Capital Upgrade Reimbursement Fee being invoiced annually for a period of three years.  Please note that these invoices are in addition to the annual sewer invoices issued by Silverhawk Utilities every year, which include your Annual Fixed Fee and Usage Fee (Consumption).

We thank all customers for their support of improving the treatment quality at Silver Star Mountain with this significant upgrade.

PLEASE NOTE

The Capital Upgrade Reimbursement Fund is a mandatory fee that must be paid by all customers of Silverhawk Utilities Inc. Overdue accounts will be dealt with as per Item #4 Overdue Fees on Silverhawk Utilities Terms and Conditions:

“Overdue accounts of more than 90 days will be disconnected from the sewer system and considered to have Lost Capacity within the Sewer System.”