Ontario construction News staff writer
AECOM has been awarded a contract by the Regional Municipality of Durham to provide engineering services for significant upgrades to the Port Darlington Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP), which serves about 50,000 residents in Bowmanville. The project aims to enhance the plant’s performance and reliability while prioritizing environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.
“Having managed some of the world’s most ambitious water and wastewater infrastructure programs, we are committed to delivering exceptional services that will support Durham in providing reliable wastewater treatment for Bowmanville residents,” said Beverley Stinson, CEO of AECOM’s global Water business. “Our Sustainable Legacies strategy emphasizes the importance of infrastructure in creating a better world, and we are proud this project will help protect Durham’s water resources.”
The four-year contract includes two primary upgrade projects. The first involves replacing the existing Waste Gas Burner (WGB), which has reached the end of its service life, with a modern enclosed flame WGB. The second project will enhance the liquid treatment systems at Plant 1, upgrade the SCADA system and perform critical maintenance work. Key components include modernizing the primary and secondary clarifier mechanisms, improving the aeration system in Plant 1, and fully integrating the SCADA and PLC programming, all of which will be handled in-house by AECOM.
“The Town of Bowmanville is projected to experience significant population growth in the coming years, making it essential to strengthen the wastewater infrastructure to meet increased demands,” said Richard Barrett, CEO of AECOM’s Canada region. “Our experience with retrofit projects, combined with our familiarity with the Regional Municipality of Durham, positions us to deliver these upgrades efficiently while minimizing disruptions to plant operations.”
AECOM has a proven track record in retrofitting and upgrading wastewater facilities across North America, including the Los Angeles Joint Water Pollution Control Plant and New York City’s Wastewater Resiliency Program. The firm specializes in optimizing oxygen utilization, understanding environmental impacts for permitting, and conducting in-house SCADA programming to ensure seamless operations.