Wastewater Treatment Plant

The City of Chilliwack owns and operates the Wastewater Treatment Plant located on Wolfe Road. This treatment plant has been around since 1970 and is responsible for treating wastewater from residential, industrial, commercial and institutional buildings!

The WWTP provides secondary treatment to all the wastewater discharged to the City’s sanitary sewer system.

The WWTP is regulated both Provincially Under the Municipal Wastewater Regulation and Federally under the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulation under these regulations are limits that the City must meet to remain in compliance. The City needs all the residences and businesses alike to be mindful about what they discharge to ensure the effluent that leaves the WWTP meets the guidelines. 

The solids that are separated during the wastewater treatment process are called “Biosolids”. Biosolids are the stabilized products that are recovered at the end of the wastewater treatment process. Biosolids are rich in nutrients that may be beneficially used to improve soil conditions and provide nutrition for plants. Because of the biological components of biosolids, proper management is important to control the impact on the environment and human health.

In B.C., the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation sets requirements for the production of high-quality biosolids and subsequent beneficial use in land application and composting.

Currently the City of Chilliwack’s biosolids are classified a “Class B Biosolids”.

Prior to land application, the City currently recovers energy from the biosolids. A portion of the recovered energy is used onsite and the remaining is flared off to protect air quality, environment and public health.