Three years ago, upgrades were suggested for the Galt Wastewater Treatment Plant (GWTP) located in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, but they are only being implemented now and at about $800,000 CAD over budget. The current cost for all the upgrades and repairs is approximately $3 million, apparently because very few contractors are able to complete the specialized work. Just some of the many repairs include new secondary clarifiers (which are a type of settling tank) and sluice valves. In a report from 2012, the clarifiers were described as “old and outdated” and the valves were already “leaky.”
The plant was built in the 1960s and secondary treatment began operating in 1963. The plant was expanded in 1978 and 1989 with several upgrades over the years. Ms. Nancy Kodousek, director of water services, has commented that the old equipment, including the leaky sluice valves, haven’t caused any problems as the everything is still “functional.” The clarifiers and valves are due to be replaced in October 2015 with construction being completely finished by June 2016.