Wastewater treatment

Spirit Bay: Sunset Point

by MSR Solutions | Aug 16, 2019 | Civil Engineering, Land Development, Wastewater Treatment

Spirit Bay, located on the southwest tip of Vancouver Island, is bustling with activity. Civil works is now underway with a new extension of the subdivision called Sunset Point and MSR is there to assist with curbs and road slopes.

To date, MSR Solutions has overseen the installation of underground utilities to Sunset Point, including water, sewer, storm, hydro and telecommunications.

There are three complete underground works at Sunset Point with curb installation now underway on the edges of the roadway. MSR Solutions technicians and engineers regularly go out to the site to inspect curb forms and ensure the roads slope properly to control runoff. Once the curbs are complete the roads will be ready for paving.

MSR Solutions provides design assistance at Sunset Point for the creation of walkways and stairs in the designated park areas. MSR Solutions involvement also includes overseeing upgrades to Spirit Bay’s District Energy heating system to accommodate growth in the subdivision. We also provide oversight with the operation of the local wastewater treatment plant. Civil works for the next phase of the subdivision, called Ridgeline, should be underway in the fall of 2019.

We’ve been working with Spirit Bay for some time now and continue to enjoy a solid working relationship with them. For more information on Land Development and Wastewater Treatment, visit our Services page.

Contact us today with any questions you may have for your projects.

Maintaining Your Onsite Sewage Disposal System

by MSR Solutions | Jun 27, 2019 | news

The moment you step out of urban environments you’ll find onsite sewage disposal systems are in wide use throughout BC. The Capital Regional District (CRD), the Saanich Peninsula, and western communities all the way to Port Renfrew rely on onsite sewage disposal. There are many methods to discharge effluent from the treatment system into the environment. These include gravity dispersal, shallow drip dispersal and raised sand mounds to provide a vertical separation for adequate removal of remaining pathogens.

Summertime is the best time to inspect your field

Generally, summertime is an excellent opportunity to see the outline of your disposal field and to gauge the performance of your onsite sewage disposal system. It’s then when surrounding grass areas turn brown from lack of summertime precipitation. Take this opportunity to inspect the condition of your disposal field. Are there any areas which are noticeably more damp than others? This can be as little as excessive growth of grass, to surfacing of water like a puddle. A broken pipe could be the problem in more serious cases, as water floods the field each time a pump cycle occurs. This is the time to call a service provider for repairs.

You can complete minor repairs with little fuss and get your system operational again with little impact. Opportunities for further inspection and potentially flushing of the disposal laterals may be considered in conjunction with the service provider. When was the last time your septic tank was pumped? The septic tank is designed to settle solids and provide slow treatment and breakdown. This creates a sludge settling on the bottom of the tank and as it rises, the treatment capacity of the septic tank diminishes. A good operating system should be pumped every 3 to 5 years. More frequently if there is high usage of the system.

Watch for plant growth patterns

As noted in the photographs, the first system is obvious as that is where the vegetation grows. The field is in good condition, and the field is the only source of moisture at this time, hence the growth. The second photograph is from a wetter community and you can still see the disposal laterals. This field is in good condition, and routine maintenance ensures a reasonable operating life for the system.

Feel free to call MSR Solutions to discuss your onsite sewage disposal issues. We are more than happy to assist you and provide support as required.

See our Services page for a listing of all our services.

BCWWA Conference 2019

by MSR Solutions | May 10, 2019 | news

Anyone interested in knowing where they get their drinking water from, and what happens when they flush their toilets, should attend the British Columbia Water and Waste (BCWWA) Annual Conference and Trade Show in Victoria May 26 to 28, 2019.

The trade show portion is held Sunday and Monday at the Victoria Conference Centre (720 Douglas Street), and is open to the public at no charge.

“The effort and resources that go into delivering safe water and wastewater services have traditionally gone unnoticed by most water users,” said BCWWA incoming President, Mike Seymour of MSR Solutions Inc. “This is a result of our infrastructure being hidden away underground or far from busy residential and commercial areas. It’s also because our skilled water professionals across British Columbia and the Yukon deliver these services each and every day without incident.”

Seymour also added that external forces, such as population growth and climate change, are now pushing water and wastewater services into the spotlight.

“The reality today is that the new normal is one of alternating floods and droughts. This happens in
many regions of BC. There’s also the recent water shortage faced by communities
around the world such as Cape Town, South Africa. These occurrences help bring
our sector and the resources we manage to the forefront of public
consciousness.”

Increasing Profile of Water Issues

Seymour wants to ensure this increasing attention helps propel us in a positive direction. “For example, raising the profile of water issues could create the political will to fix urgent problems. It could also increase public and political scrutiny on the services we deliver. The information we provide, how we provide it, and who we provide it to can help or hinder our efforts to provide safe, sustainable water services to our communities.”

The 2019 BCWWA Annual Conference & Trade Show’s theme is focused on The Rise of Water. This theme examines all the work that takes place behind the scenes in order to deliver safe and reliable water services. It encompasses the efforts underway to raise the public profile of the water sector and the importance of the services we provide. In addition, they will discuss how to best navigate the increasing spotlight on our sector as the demand for water increases while the security of its sources is in flux.

For information on the types of services offered by MSR Solutions Inc., please visit our services page.

Malahat Forest Estates

by MSR Solutions | Apr 12, 2019 | news, Wastewater Treatment, Water Treatment

You’ll find Malahat Forest Estates on 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.

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.

Wastewater treatment and water treatment are two of MSR Solutions specialties.

Donovan Strata Wastewater Treatment

by MSR Solutions | Mar 23, 2019 | Analysis and Consultation, news, Wastewater Treatment

Donovan Avenue is an 8-lot strata subdivision under construction within the city of Colwood, BC. Tycor Developments retained MSR Solutions to design services for an onsite wastewater treatment and disposal system servicing the strata.

We began the design process by conducting a site assessment, consisting of soils analysis and percolation testing. MSR then worked in conjunction with the client to maximize the scope of the development. We provided an accurate assessment of how much daily flow could be treated and disposed of on site. We then determined the number of serviceable housing units for this onsite wastewater system.

Optimizing Strata Potential

Optimizing development potential is an area in which MSR continues to excel. We do this to the benefit of our land development clients. MSR Solutions takes a pragmatic approach to assessing household flow rates. We base it on recent real-world data which factors in modern low-flow fixtures. Then, we apply cutting edge technologies in our designs. This ensures disposal of the properly treated wastewater in a manner that protects public safety and the environment. This innovative approach sets MSR Solutions apart from all the others. It makes us the firm of choice for land development clients. Especially those looking to maximize the potential of their projects in locations outside of established municipal sewer service areas.

Balancing Requirements with Functionality and Aesthetics

There were tight space constraints at the Donovan Avenue strata site. MSR Solutions provided a system layout which carefully balanced the technical requirements of the wastewater system with the functional and aesthetic considerations of the strata residents. The onsite wastewater treatment and disposal system is now installed and successfully commissioned. Construction on housing unit is now proceeding. The design includes provisions for future decommissioning as well as connection to the municipal sewer system.

Please visit our Services page for more information on what we provide our clients.

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