Cultus Lake (FVRD) – Politicians and Dignitaries boasted that this was on time and on budget. After 17-months of construction, the North Cultus Wastewater Treatment Plant is operational and actively protecting the Cultus Lake watershed.
With the commitment from the Government of Canada, Province of British Columbia and the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD), the construction of the North Cultus Wastewater Treatment Plan was made possible through joint funding efforts in the amount of $14.6 million.
“Investing in local infrastructure like the Fraser Valley – North Cultus Wastewater Treatment Plant strengthens communities by providing reliable essential services,” said Ernie Klassin, Member of Parliament for South Surrey – White Rock, British Columbia. “The federal government is proud to support projects like this to ensure residents can count on safe and effective wastewater management.”
“People deserve to know they can rely on their communities’ critical infrastructure long-term,” said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “By investing in modern waste management we’re supporting communities while protecting our environment for future generations.”
“The FVRD is immensely thankful for the financial support,” said Patricia Ross, FVRD Board Chair. “The dedication of the project team has proven that a collaborative delivery model works exceptionally well,” she said.
“This project is essential in the protection of the Cultus Lake watershed and community vibrance,” said Taryn Dixon, Electoral Area H Director. “Collaboration and financial commitment, from all levels of government, made this project into a reality,” she said.
“The health of Cultus Lake is deeply treasured by the community and visitors alike,” said Kirk Dzaman, Cultus Lake Park Board Chair. “We all share in the responsibility to protect the sensitive environment of Cultus Lake, and this joint effort for the North Cultus Wastewater Treatment Plant displays what can be accomplished by working together,” he said.
Former Harrison Mayor and Current Councillor Leo Facio, also an FVRD Board member, posted to FVN: Great day for Cultus Lake area who will be serviced by this new plant a vital infrastructure that will also help towards the quality of water in the lake. Thank you to all involved in this project.
In 2015 and 2016, the FVRD went through an extensive community engagement process and established a Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) that was later approved in 2019 by the Minister of Environment. The LWMP identified the need for a Wastewater Treatment Plant capable of producing Class A effluent as defined under the BC Municipal Wastewater Regulation, plus additional phosphorus removal to meet the needs of the community and to protect the Cultus Lake watershed.
- Funding
- $10 million – Federal and Provincial Government (Canada Infrastructure Program)
- $1 million – Province of British Columbia (Growing Communities Fund)
- $3.6 million- Fraser Valley Regional District (Service Area)
- North Cultus Wastewater Treatment Plant Timeline
- July 2023 – construction start
- December 2024 – substantial completion
- April 2025 – commissioning
- Contractors
- Chandos Construction (contractor)
- Urban Systems (assisted with the RFP to hire the contractor; design engineer)
- Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method
- The typical construction method and IPD method differ significantly in their approach to managing construction projects. In the traditional construction method, contractual relationships between the owner, engineer, and contractor are separate, leading to potential communication gaps and limited collaboration. Conversely, IPD fosters a collaborative environment by bringing all partners together under a single multi-party contract. This promotes open communication, shared decision-making, and risk and reward sharing among all project participants. Unlike the sequential design-construction process of typical construction, IPD encourages concurrent design and construction, leading to more efficient problem-solving and improved project outcomes. Ultimately, IPD’s focus on collaboration and collective responsibility aims to optimize project success, whereas the typical construction method may prioritize fulfilling individual contractual obligations.
The FVRD delivers over 100 services to approximately 340,000 residents across a land base of 13,361 square kilometres. The FVRD’s eight electoral areas include all of the unincorporated communities on the north and south sides of the Fraser River, reaching up beyond the Nahatlatch River in the north and extending down to the U.S. border in the south. The FVRD is responsible for governance, administration and services for the eight electoral areas, each named separately by letters of the alphabet (A-H), and represented on the board by a locally elected director. Electoral area residents pay only for those services provided to the electoral area in which they reside. More information about the FVRD is available at fvrd.ca. Additional project information for the North Cultus Wastewater Treatment Plant is available on the FVRD Have Your Say website at https://haveyoursay.fvrd.ca/wwtp
