You’ll find Malahat Forest Estateson a picturesque mountain above the Malahat (HWY 1) on Vancouver Island. The first phase of the development is for 18 homes, three of which are acreages. In total, 84 new homes planned for the development. MSR Solutions was brought in to assist with wastewater treatment and water treatment.
Ownership and operation of the utilities will be by the Cowichan Valley Regional District. (CVRD). The utilities have been commissioned and accepted by CVRD Operations. CVRD Engineering sign off for the removal of a No Build covenant was conditional on commissioning of the water and sewer utilities.
Wastewater Treatment
MSR Solutions reviewed the original design for Malahat Forest Estates and updated the design to include and service the first 18 homes.
MSR submitted a Sewerage System Regulation filing for the treatment and disposal system.
Supply and delivery of the mechanical components of the Membrane BioReactor (MBR) system was coordinated by MSR Solutions.
Three effluent disposal fields were constructed.
MSR Solutions conducted field reviews during installation of the treatment plant and disposal fields.
MSR Solutions conducted system testing, sensor calibration, and final commissioning.
Water Treatment
The water system had been substantially completed in 2014.
MSR tested and commissioned the system, including disinfection of the treatment and distribution systems, calibrating sensors, and programming the monitoring system.
Dickerson Place is property located in Colwood, BC. MSR was contacted by the owners of the property to provide engineering consultation for the subdivision of their property into two separate lots. MSR will help with the investigation of and upgrades to the existing wastewater treatment system as well as provide a design for the new wastewater treatment system required for the new home. MSR is also coordinating with the City of Colwood for the subdivision process and the required servicing for each lots.
Matt Gable, the project designer and drafting designer, has gone out to site to investigate the property’s soil characteristics by conducting test pits and percolation tests. He has also determined the configuration and capacity of the existing wastewater system and appropriate upgrades that need to be implemented to the system. The City of Colwood issued the Preliminary Layout Assessment (PLA) for the subdivision. MSR Solutions has responded with our proposal for the civil works included in the lot frontage works. We are currently waiting on the review of our proposal by the City of Colwood.
Herold Engineering retained the services of MSR Solutions to design a potable water and a septic system for the Meadowood Community Centre, located in Qualicum Beach, BC. MSR Solutions prepared two filings for Meadowood Community Centre for the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA). This was part of MSR Solutions scope of work including: Sewerage System Regulation (SSR) Filing and Source Water Approval with a Construction Permit.
The lot chosen for the new community centre is mostly vacant. It was once used as a gravel pit and only has a small playground on the property. Some of the features the new park will have include areas and equipment for children to play, sheltered picnic tables, natural landscaping and the community centre built with portables from School District 69.
Septic tanks equipped with effluent filters, an equalization tank, and a pressurized disposal field comprise the wastewater treatment system. A well will be drilled on site to supply the facilities with drinking water. In the meantime, a potable water tank, installed and filled by a bulk water hauler approved by VIHA, will be on site.
MSR Solutions conducted a site investigation to determine a suitable the location for the disposal field. We dug five percolation test pits and recorded the percolation rates. The MSR representatives determined the most suitable location for the septic field. MSR completed a full site inspection report with information pertaining to each test pit. The report included where the optimum location where the field should be constructed.
Future Site Investigations Planned
Another site investigation will take place to commission the system once the water and wastewater systems are completed. MSR Solutions continues to communicate closely with the client and theRegional District of Nanaimo to complete the works on time and on budget.
