Problems continue to accumulate for the City of Montreal’s wastewater ozonation plant project, launched more than 15 years ago. The Press has learned that the inauguration of the facilities is once again postponed, at least until 2026, or even 2027.
Three important technical contracts have not found a buyer in recent months, forcing the City to review its strategy – as well as its schedule and budget.
“The last phase is putting all the pieces together: the mechanical, industrial assembly that must be done. And what the City realized when it went to a call for tenders was that there were no takers,” explained Maja Vodanovic, the elected official responsible for water, in a telephone interview. . Out of three contracts, “there was a [seule] submission, and it was a really outrageous price,” she continued.
“We had announced 2025. Now, we are delaying until 2026, maybe even 2027” for the start-up, continued Mme Vodanovic. The budget will be revised upwards in the next ten-year capital plan, which must be made public next month.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Aerial view, in November 2022, of the construction site of the wastewater ozonation plant on the grounds of the Jean-R.-Marcotte water treatment plant
The Montreal ozonation plant must, ultimately, pump a significant quantity of ozone into Montreal’s wastewater, just before its discharge into the river, in order to disinfect it. Once completed, it will be the largest facility of its kind on the planet. It will be located on the grounds of the Jean-R.-Marcotte water treatment plant, near the northeast tip of the island of Montreal.
A decade late
The City of Montreal decided in 2008 to equip itself with an ozonation plant, which at the time was expected to cost 200 million and be built in five years. Fifteen years later, the bill has more than tripled and the facility is still not open. In addition to the ozonation plant itself, the project includes an oxygen production plant and a new electrical substation.
In 2018, a major technical problem was detected, paralyzing the project for months: teams feared the possibility that a huge and dangerous wave could be created in the water pipes after ozonation.
This time, it is the awarding of contracts that poses a problem. The only bid received, on one of the three canceled calls for tenders, amounted to 160 million. Much too much for Montreal’s taste.
Officials are now trying to understand why companies turned their noses up at these mandates.
There is a discussion taking place on the clauses of the contract which caused the companies not to want to bid.
Maja Vodanovic, elected responsible for water at the City of Montreal
“The City has learned a lot of things,” continued M.me Vodanovic, citing in particular a clause forcing the winner of the contract to provide a specialized generator sooner than current delivery times allow.
The elected official emphasizes that the City of Montreal is doomed to success: the disinfection of wastewater is a legal obligation imposed by the provincial government.
“Cost explosion”
Contract issues aren’t the only thing affecting the ozonation plant project.
At the last municipal council, Montreal elected officials had to vote for an increase of 8 million in a major construction contract awarded to Pomerleau, which faced “significant unforeseen events” along the way.
While excavating the ground to build new evacuation ducts, the contractor came across “remnants” of concrete from the 1980s, not indicated on the plans, complicating his task. In addition, there was “dispersion of biological foams from wastewater on the site leading to a refusal [de travail] of workers” and “gas emanation from the soil leading to a refusal [de travail] of workers”, leading to costly adjustments, indicates the City of Montreal in the documentation provided to elected officials. Other problems are also reported.
A delay in authorizing additional costs would be problematic, according to officials: “The costs associated with this would be enormous and the consequences for the project, very significant,” they wrote.
“The ozonation plant, like several other major projects under this administration, has experienced an explosion in costs,” lamented opposition MP Vana Nazarian on the municipal council. “This colossal increase illustrates the inability of this administration to complete a project on time and on budget. […] I’m trying to understand how a project can explode in costs so much. »