Northwest of Vancouver on the lower “Sunshine Coast” of British Columbia, lies the municipality of Sechelt, Canada. The challenge we had to solve within this beautiful and natural environment rested in the strict effluent standards and operational expenses in the area.
Although the municipality had two existing wastewater treatment facilities, they were insufficient for the community’s needs. These existing facilities were noisy, had odor problems, needed significant maintenance, and possessed enormous pumping costs. As a result, expanding or upgrading these conventional and outdated wastewater treatment facilities was not feasible, requiring the municipality to find a more feasible solution to treat its wastewater.
To solve the problems in Sechelt, the Organica Water solution made its debut in North America, making the facility in Sechelt the first to appear on the continent to date. Due to its garden-like appearance and odorless operation, the facility is optimal for being placed not only in close vicinity, but directly in the neighborhoods of Sechelt, overall reducing pumping and collection costs for the municipality.
The treatment facility was quickly integrated into the community after the start of operation in 2014 and became known for not only completely fulfilling its role in wastewater treatment but being available for public education on sustainable water resource management.
The Water Resource Center, as the locals call it, is serving 6,000 community membersand is ensured to offer effective wastewater treatment to people for the next 20 years. Provisions made to increase capacity and nutrient removal incrementally cover the facility for up to 50 years, assuring that this facility meets the highest provincial standards for water quality in Sechelt.
Since commissioning in 2014, the facility has been treating the daily wastewater generated in the community, while also meeting LEED gold standards and winning numerous awards. Additionally, the facility was featured on Archdaily.com, the world’s most visited Architecture website and received the 2016 FCM Sustainable Communities Award. Check out the video below for more.
Stored in its noise and odor-free greenhouse enclosure, the Sechelt Water Resource Center is a great example of how Organica Water’s sustainable designs can bring economic benefits and minimize neighborhood impacts in municipalities such as Sechelt, Canada and worldwide.
