Ball Completes Phase One of Hamilton WWTP

Figure 1: Rebar and formwork complete for bypass chamber 1&2 walls

Ball Construction is pleased to report steady progress at the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) upgrade at 700 Woodward Avenue, in Hamilton, Ontario.

This is a joint venture between Ball and Maple Reinders (deemed Maple Ball JV). Having begun in 2017, the estimated $87 million sub-project is part of the city’s Clean Harbour Program, a series of projects designed to improve the water quality of Hamilton Harbour.

Working in conjunction with the consultants, AECOM, this general contractor/bid spec project involves constructing a new main pumping station (MPS) for the WWTP. Benefits include increased capacity, enhanced conveyance to mitigate system flooding, provide increased system storage and reduce solids buildup during dry weather flows, and an improved maintenance regiment that will allow for half the wet well to be offline for maintenance while the pumping station remains operating.

The new circular building will be 41.97 metres in diameter and approximately 43 metres height, of which 27 metres will be underground. The pumping station will house 12 pumps, each having 700 horsepower and have an overall capacity of 1,700 ML/d (megalitres per day) of waste water.

Phase 1, which involved relocation of the engineering offices and construction of the new site entrance, is now complete.

We are now working through Phase 2, which requires construction and commissioning of the new main pumping station and inlet tunnel. We have recently finished the excavation of the pumping station shaft and we are commencing the concrete works and foundation rock anchors. We’ve also begun tunnel operations for the inlet tunnel that will connect the existing pump station to the future pump station.

Phase 3 will involve abatement of designated substances and demolition of the existing pumping station and has not yet started.

The project’s completion date is estimated to finish in mid-May of 2021.