Public Notice
Notice of intent to make a determination
Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Southend Wastewater and Raw Water Upgrades – Public Comments Invited

September 17, 2024 – Indigenous Services Canada must determine whether the proposed Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Southend Wastewater and Raw Water Upgrades project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. To help inform this determination, Indigenous Services Canada is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination.

Written comments must be submitted by October 15, 2024 to:
Indigenous Services Canada
Alvin Hamilton Building, 1783 Hamilton Street
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 2B6
Email: isc-skenv@sac-isc.gc.ca

The Proposed Project

Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation is proposing to upgrade their existing wastewater and raw water infrastructure to meet the needs of the growing community.

The existing wastewater collection system consists of an underground gravity sewer collection network divided into four distinct sewer collection areas. Each area has a sewage pump station (SPS) that pumps wastewater to SPS No. 1, and ultimately, to the lagoon. SPS No. 1, constructed in 2007, will be upgraded with a new interior wall, dedicated electrical room, larger pumps, and upgraded equipment. SPS No. 2, 3, and 4 were constructed in 1993, 1995, and 1998, respectively. All existing infrastructure except for the existing wet-wells will be decommissioned and removed from each site, and new facilities will be constructed over the existing wet-wells including new electrical, process, instrumentation, and pumping equipment.

The existing lagoon was constructed in 2007 and consists of one primary treatment cell and one secondary storage cell with a storage capacity of 90,000 cubic metres. The secondary facultative lagoon will be expanded to support a total secondary storage capacity of 138,900 cubic metres. The new wastewater facilities are designed to meet the community's projected sewage loading requirements (20-year projection).

Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation currently operates two water wells that are unable to meet the community's current or future raw water requirements; therefore, a raw water drilling investigation is proposed, with a total of eight wells planned. Three wells are proposed to be drilled on the east side of the causeway, south of the bridge, on Big Island. If results are favourable, the wells would become production wells and be incorporated into the existing raw water well system. Five additional wells will be drilled on the west side of the causeway. The exact locations of these wells have not yet been determined, and drilling will occur in existing tree clearing/openings. The investigation of these wells is for long-term future well development. The raw water investigation is based on projected raw water requirements for a 20-year demand.

Construction activities will include demolition and removal of existing buildings, removal and replacement of equipment, construction of new pump station buildings, modification of underground utilities, clearing, grubbing, topsoil stripping and stockpiling, excavation, and bedrock blasting, processing and management of borrow material, closure and rehabilitation of the borrow pits, and drilling of exploratory water wells.

All waste generated by construction activities will be disposed of at designated off-reserve facilities.