Harbour City Solutions to build new biosolids treatment facility

It’s full steam ahead for a new $106-million facility that will treat biosolids resulting from Hamilton’s wastewater treatment process.

General manager of Public Works Dan McKinnon says the city has finalized an agreement with Harbour City Solutions.

That is a consortium of companies that will design, build, finance, operate and maintain the facility that will turn sludge into pellets that can be sold for fertilizer or fuel.

The new technology involves heating the biosolids in a large dryer drum and selling the resulting dried product.

The approach will replace the controversial practice of spreading sludge on agricultural lands, which results in odour and noise complaints.

McKinnon predicts “a lot less controversy” in the future since the product that “will make its way into the environment will be treated to a much higher standard.”