Overview
Dartmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility serves over 116,000 people in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. The plant is operational and discharges into the Halifax Harbour, part of the Atlantic Ocean watershed.
The Dartmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility is a key municipal infrastructure asset serving the community of Dartmouth, located within the Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. With a population served of approximately 116,359, the plant is classified as a large agglomeration under Canadian wastewater management standards. It is situated on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, a major natural harbor on the Atlantic coast. As a Canadian wastewater treatment plant, the facility operates under federal and provincial regulations, including the Fisheries Act and the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER), which set national effluent quality standards. For a plant of this scale, secondary treatment or equivalent is typically required to protect receiving waters. The plant's designed capacity is reported as 1.00 (likely in million cubic meters per year or similar unit), indicating a substantial treatment capability. The treated effluent from the Dartmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility is discharged into Halifax Harbour, which connects to the Atlantic Ocean via the narrows between Halifax and Dartmouth. The harbor supports diverse marine life, including fish, shellfish, and seabirds, and is an important ecological and economic resource for the region. The plant plays a critical role in protecting water quality in this urbanized coastal environment.
Environmental context
The Dartmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility discharges into Halifax Harbour, a large, deep-water harbor that opens into the Atlantic Ocean. The harbor is a dynamic estuarine environment that supports a variety of marine species, including Atlantic salmon, herring, and lobster. The plant's location within a densely populated urban area means that its effluent quality is crucial for maintaining the ecological health of the harbor and downstream coastal waters, which are used for recreation, fishing, and shipping.
Frequently asked questions
The Dartmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility is located at 12 Mawiomi Place, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, within the Halifax Regional Municipality.
The plant serves approximately 116,359 people, making it a large-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility.
The treated effluent is discharged into Halifax Harbour, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The plant is located within 50 km of the coast, emphasizing the importance of effective treatment to protect marine ecosystems.
The plant operates under Canada's Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER) under the Fisheries Act, which set national standards for effluent quality to protect fish and fish habitat.
Under Canadian regulations, large wastewater systems serving over 100,000 people are generally required to achieve secondary treatment or equivalent, which involves biological processes to remove organic matter and suspended solids.
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