“We’re taking this opportunity to deepen and reshape Pond 3, and to construct an island to enhance the wildlife habitat,” he says. The upgrade of the ponds will change how the flow moves through the pond system and provide significant improvement to the water quality before discharge. When the pond upgrade is completed in mid-2004 the flow will pass through seven ponds in series, and produce an effluent quality that is expected to be some 10 times better than the current discharge.

The upgrades to the oxidation ponds are linked to other upgrades around the city to improve the quality of treated wastewater, better protect the environment and ensure the entire wastewater system will cope with expected city growth.