Water Service - Water Resources

Trenton Pollution Control Planning Study

Client:

City of Trenton
Location:

Trenton, ON
Budget:

$100,000
Biggest Hurdle:

Sampling river and bay quickly after rain events.

XCG Consultants Ltd. carried out Phase 1 and 2 of the City of Trenton Pollution Control Planning Study (PCPS).  Trenton lies along the north shore of the Bay of Quinte, which is one of the areas of concern in Lake Ontario identified by the International Joint Commission (IJC). 


A Remedial Action Plan for the Bay of Quinte was finalized in 1993, and it called for Trenton to conduct a PCPS to determine how best to deal with impacts of urban drainage on the Bay and its major tributary, the Trent River. A priority issue has been the impacts on bacteriological water quality along shoreline areas in the Bay.
 

 

Project Gallery - Click an image to enlarge.

 

An important task in the implementation of Phase 1 was cataloguing and characterizing all of the urban drainage discharges. Also, the status of two sewage plant discharges was reviewed. Comprehensive dry-weather and wet weather monitoring programs were designed and implemented to provide an updated picture of drainage loadings and impacts on the Bay.


It was determined that near-shore bacteriological contamination continues to occur, but that the problem is less severe than measured in the 1980’s. This trend was attributed to the ongoing program to eliminate sewer cross-connection problems and other sewer system deficiencies, as well as improvements to the disinfection process at the City’s sewage plant.
 

A long term strategy for stormwater pollution abatement was recommended, including specific guidelines on stormwater management needed in new urban development areas.