City of Yorkton Wastewater Treatment Plant - Investing in Tomorrow’s Water, Today!
About the Project
The City of Yorkton is undertaking an initiative to construct a new wastewater treatment plant that will serve Yorkton and surrounding area. The city currently has over 133,000 meters of underground sewer pipe that collects wastewater from our residential, commercial and industrial users. This water then flows to the wastewater treatment plant and once there, the water goes through various treatment process steps and is then released into Yorkton Creek, which flows to the Assiniboine River. The average Yorkton household uses about 450 litres of water per day which also equates to about 450 litres of sewage per day. The existing facility treats on average 11 million litres of water per day. The existing facility, which has been in operation for over 70-years, is nearing the end of its functional life.
In response, the City of Yorkton has conducted a multitude of workshops in order to explore and evaluate the available solutions. Ultimately the decision was made to construct a new wastewater treatment plant as the most effective option, ensuring the community's long-term sustainability for generations to come.
This new wastewater treatment plant will offer substantial social and environmental benefits, not only to the residents of Yorkton, but also to downstream consumers including towns, villages, and Indigenous communities that rely on the Assiniboine River for drinking water and recreation.
Additionally, the City of Yorkton is investigating innovative technologies to discharge the wastewater effluent. This is in an effort to ensure the City's water security in the face of potential drought conditions and the increasing impacts of climate change.
City of Yorkton Wastewater Treatment Plant - Investing in Tomorrow’s Water, Today!
Why Now?
The need for a new wastewater treatment plant is driven by several key considerations:
- Aging Infrastructure: The existing facility has surpassed its intended design life, and many of its components are past the end of their operational lifespan. Proactive planning for infrastructure replacement has been initiated to prevent system failures and maintain high-quality wastewater treatment standards.
- Regulatory Compliance: Upgrades are necessary to meet more stringent regulatory standards present within the wastewater treatment industry, ensuring compliance while protecting public health and the environment.
- Modernizing for the Future: Upgrading our wastewater treatment plant is needed to meet the needs of tomorrow, ensuring it can handle more capacity as our community grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the City of Yorkton need to replace its wastewater treatment plant?
The existing facility is beyond its intended design life, with several components failing. Replacement is necessary to maintain service levels and meet future regulatory requirements.
What would happen if the City chose not to build a new facility?
This option is not viable due to the deteriorating condition of the current facility and the need to comply with current and future regulatory standards 365 days per year.
What will happen to the existing wastewater facility?
Parts of the existing facility are being evaluated for potential integration into the new plant to maximize the investment in existing infrastructure, while components that cannot be reused will be retired from service and evaluated for alternative use.
Conclusion
By investing in a new wastewater treatment plant, and potentially utilizing innovative water management, the City of Yorkton is taking progressive steps to ensure a future of sustainability, growth, and resilience against the challenges presented by climate change; Truly Investing in Tomorrow's Water Today.
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Baseline Environmental Studies Complete
Proposed Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Designed to meet current and future water needs and provides opportunities for economic development
- Designed to meet current and future Provincial water quality requirements
- Can be built with no interruption to users or operations
- The design is currently progressing and is 30% complete.
Environmental Assessments
- Examine both potential and likely adverse (negative), and positive effects any project may have on the biophysical (water, vegetation, wildlife, air, soil etc.), social, or cultural environments.
- Through this process project teams eliminate or reduce adverse project effects and support positive effects for valued environmental components.
Alternatives Analysis
- The Project Team evaluated multiple alternatives to the Project.
- Alternatives were evaluated based on design feasibility, capacity and function of the various engineering designs, value added for the community and local industry, reliability, potential effects on the environment, and costs.
Preliminary Valued Environmental Components
What is a Valued Environmental Component in an Environmental Assessment?
- Valued components refer to elements of the human and natural environment that are important to participants in an impact assessment process.
- Valued components are identified by regulators, the public, the proponents, and by Indigenous Communities.
- They may have scientific, biological, social, cultural, economic, historical, archaeological or aesthetic importance, and may be intricately related to community health and well-being.
Valued Components
A preliminary list of Valued Components has been developed based on desktop studies, field studies, current project design parameters, engagement with provincial and federal regulators, and early engagement with the public, and professional experience.
The following Valued Components that will be evaluated within the Environmental Assessment include:
- Groundwater Quantity and Quality
- Surface Water Quantity and Quality
- Plant Species of Conservation Concern (Rare Plants)
- Wetland Function and Value
- Wildlife Species of Conservation Concern and their habitats
- Fish and Fish Habitat
- Human Health
The Environmental Assessment will determine if the Project will result in Significant Adverse Effects to these Valued Components after the application of project mitigation measures.
Preliminary Findings
- Based on preliminary studies, local aquifers may be capable of recharge using recycled water, while maintaining water quantity and quality, using existing industry proven technology.
- Additional modelling is being conducted, and a proposed pilot study working with Water Security Agency, will verify this proof of concept.
- A Heritage Resource Impact Assessment was conducted for the preferred project footprint. The project team did not discover heritage resources; however, we are waiting on final recommendations from the Heritage Conservation Branch for required mitigation measures.
- Some Species of Conservation Concern were identified in the potential Project footprint along with their habitats, including:
- Upland White Goldenrod (Solidago ptarmicoides)
- Small Yellow Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin)
- Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
- Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
- Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
- Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) - Rookery
- Adverse effects on these Species will be mitigated using industry standard mitigation measures
Note: These are preliminary findings. Results will be published in the forthcoming Environmental Impact Statement.
Where are we and what’s next?
- Baseline field studies have been completed
- Further engagement with the public, regulators, and indigenous communities
- Formalization of mitigation measures designed to reduce or remove adverse effects on environmental components, focussing on Valued Components
- Completion of the Environmental Impact Statement which evaluates significance of Project effects on the Valued Components, including cumulative effects assessment
- Review by regulators and the public
- Anticipated Project approval for this important infrastructure project
Next Steps
- Review public feedback received
- Complete aquifer modeling
- Meet with local regulators
- Continue with preliminary design
We want to hear from you!
If you have any questions or comments about the wastewater treatment plant renewal project, please contact us or submit your comments.
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Yorkton Wastewater Treatment Plant Renewal Project
Investing in Tomorrow's Water, Today
What is this Project About?
The City of Yorkton is undertaking an initiative to construct a new wastewater treatment plant that will serve Yorkton and surrounding area. The existing facility, which has been in operation for over 70-years, is nearing the end of its functional life. The new wastewater treatment plant will offer substantial social and environmental benefits, not only to the residents of Yorkton, but also to downstream consumers including towns, villages, and Indigenous communities that rely on the Assiniboine River for drinking water and recreation.
Why Is This Project Important?
The need for a new wastewater treatment plant is driven by several key considerations:
- Upgrade Aging Infrastructure
- Meet More Stringent Regulatory Standards
- Prepare for Climate Resilience
- Support Water Cycle Sustainability
Phase 2: Summer 2025
Public Information Session #2: September 20th, 2025 – 7:00 PM, Gallagher Center 2nd Floor
Offer feedback on the preferred design alternative
View how Phase 1 feedback is being addressed
Share any further comments or concerns
