Overview
Port Alice Sewage Treatment Plant is a secondary treatment facility serving 410 residents in British Columbia, Canada. It discharges treated wastewater near the coast of Vancouver Island.
Port Alice Sewage Treatment Plant is a municipal wastewater facility located on Centennial Field Road in Port Alice, British Columbia, Canada. It serves a small population of 410 residents in the Regional District of Mount Waddington on northern Vancouver Island. The plant is situated in a remote coastal community surrounded by temperate rainforest. The plant provides secondary treatment, which is the standard level required under Canadian federal and provincial regulations for municipal wastewater. Secondary treatment uses biological processes to break down organic matter, significantly reducing pollutants before discharge. The plant's discharge volume is 184 cubic meters per day, reflecting the small community it serves. The treated effluent is discharged into the marine environment near the coast of Vancouver Island, within the traditional territory of the Quatsino First Nation. The receiving waters are part of the Pacific Ocean ecosystem, supporting diverse marine life including salmon, herring, and orcas. The plant plays a key role in protecting local coastal water quality and the health of nearby fjords and inlets.
Environmental context
The plant discharges into the coastal waters of northern Vancouver Island, which drain into the Pacific Ocean via Quatsino Sound and adjacent fjords. This region supports ecologically sensitive habitats including kelp forests, eelgrass beds, and intertidal zones that provide nursery grounds for fish and invertebrates. The area is also part of the migratory route for Pacific salmon and marine mammals.
Frequently asked questions
The plant is located on Centennial Field Road in Port Alice, British Columbia, Canada, on northern Vancouver Island.
The plant serves approximately 410 residents of the community of Port Alice.
The plant provides secondary treatment and discharges treated effluent into the coastal marine waters of the Pacific Ocean near Quatsino Sound.
The plant operates under Canada's Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations (WSER) under the Fisheries Act, which sets national standards for effluent quality.
For small communities like Port Alice, secondary treatment is standard under Canadian regulations, using biological processes to reduce organic matter and suspended solids before marine discharge.
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