Sewer

Water, Sewer & Drainage

Sewage Disposal
Everybody uses water. Everybody produces sewage. While most of us would rather not spend too much time thinking about what happens to water after it leaves our homes as sewage, it is a very important subject.

We don't actually dispose of our treated sewage, we recycle it. Treated liquid waste is returned to the environment, where it enters the natural water cycle and is re-used by plants, animals and humans. There are several ways in which the City of Kamloops "disposes" of treated sewage.

Spray Irrigation
Treated sewage can be a valuable resource. From April until October, effluent is pumped from the storage cells at the Wastewater Treatment Centre, under the river to Cinnamon Ridge, which lies on the North side of the Thompson River, west of the Airport. There, it is chlorinated again and sprayed on hay crops and pastures to water and fertilize them. The crops use up any nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus left in the effluent, and the soil filters the effluent.

Rapid Infiltration
Effluent is also flooded onto large "beds" of sand across the river from the treatment plant. As the effluent slowly seeps through 180-240 cm of sand, it is filtered very well. The effluent is collected and then taken back to the river. It is often cleaner than the river itself.

River Discharge
If the effluent cannot be used for irrigation (for instance, in the winter) or put through the rapid infiltration beds, it is discharged directly into the Thompson River from the storage cells. The Ministry of Environment regulates the amount of effluent which can be discharged, as well as the quality of the effluent entering the river.

What Next?
The City of Kamloops has some important decisions to make regarding sewage treatment and disposal in the future. Public input is required as part of this process.

Logo Contact
Public Works and Sustainability
955 Concordia Way
Kamloops BC V2C 6V3
ph (250) 828 3461
fax (250) 828-3790
email publicworks@kamloops.ca

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