Ottawa wastewater plant to receive $30 million for electrical upgrades

The Canadian federal government is providing over $30 million to upgrade the electrical systems at the Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre (ROPEC) in Ottawa. The investment, delivered through the Build Communities Strong Fund, aims to increase the facility's reliability and resilience against power outages and extreme weather.

The planned upgrades include doubling the plant's co-generation capacity, which utilizes gas from wastewater to produce power and heat, and adding a backup diesel generation station. Currently, extended power outages can cause the quality of effluent discharged into the Ottawa River to degrade after 24 hours. These enhancements are intended to ensure all sewage treatment processes continue without interruption during outages.

In addition to improving immediate reliability, the project is designed to support future plant expansions required by Ottawa's growing population and to bolster infrastructure against the effects of climate change.