Biosolids Pipeline Corridor Project
The City of Saskatoon’s (City) Wastewater Treatment Plant operates a Biosolids Handling Facility in the Rural Municipality of Corman Park (RMCP), north of Saskatoon. The Biosolids Handling Facility has a series of settling lagoons that play a critical part in the wastewater treatment process. Biosolids generated at the wastewater treatment plant are dewatered at the facility and ultimately, fertilizer is produced for nearby landowners.
Two pipelines run underground from the Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Biosolids Handling Facility. The pipelines, constructed in 1984 and 2005, must be replaced as geometric constraints and poor physical condition have made it impossible to remove the hard substances that form and accumulate on the pipeline walls. The new pipelines will have higher capacities and will be designed to mitigate the blockages that have plagued the existing pipes for many years.
The City has opted to include water and wastewater lines within the pipeline corridor that will provide service to the City of Martensville. These pipes are required for future growth of the community as well as meeting regulatory compliance with the Water Security Agency.
The preferred pipeline route as shown was developed by utilizing existing rights-of-way within the RMCP. The routing was developed with a number of considerations including: environmental impacts, operational and maintenance considerations, resident disruption and future development.
Environmental and heritage assessments have been completed for much of the pipeline corridor’s extents and remaining fieldwork will commence in the Spring of 2025.
While the timing for impacting specific areas is still undetermined, the general project schedule will entail:
- Fall 2025: Construction Kick-Off
- Fall 2027: Construction Completion
If you have any initial feedback or questions regarding the project, please contact us before April 30, 2025 where a member of the project team will respond to your inquiry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are we doing this?
The existing sludge pipelines have reached the end of their service life. This causes operational problems for the Wastewater Treatment Plant as the pipes require frequent maintenance and are prone to failure.
Why did we pick this alignment/route?
A number of factors were considered in developing the route including environmental impacts, operational and maintenance considerations, resident disruption and future development. The route was also adjusted to avoid areas that will be affected by future Saskatoon Freeway construction. Minimizing the disruption to private property owners in terms of property access during construction was a key consideration in route selection.
Why wasn't the existing route followed?
The current pipeline route would interfere with the future Saskatoon Freeway. To avoid problems during freeway construction, the pipeline route was devised so it only crosses the freeway once, following special guidelines. Other route changes were made after considering factors like the Opimihaw Creek crossing on Penner Road.
Who's paying for this project?
The project is being jointly funded by the City of Saskatoon, City of Martensville and the Federal and Provincial Governments through Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) Funding.
How long will this project take?
Construction will begin in late-2025 and be completed in the fall of 2027.