Comox Strathcona Waste Management expects to start the process of finding a firm to build its new landfill in the Comox Valley in the first half of 2021.
Solid waste analyst Sarah Willie updated CSWM board members at their Sept. 10 meeting about the expansion of the landfill at the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre in Cumberland.
She said they expect to issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) in the second quarter of next year, with an expectation of up to one year for the construction of Cell 2.
Cell 1 was built in 2016-17 and it was expected to reach capacity in about six years, based on disposal rates at the time.
“The anticipated lifetime will be about 2023-2024,” she said.
While the construction contract for the second cell is to go out next year, CSWM expects to procure design and engineering work for the region’s landfill site in 2020.
“Cell 2 will be placed just to the south of Cell 1,” Willie said.
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The budgeted amount for the construction of the new cell is roughly $8 million. The design work is expected to cost just over $800,000, according to a staff report.
For cost-effectiveness reasons, they also plan to include some complementary work in with the design and construction of the new cell and leachate collection system. These include the design of the landfill gas header piping from the flare station to the two cells.
“Currently, our header only goes to the existing historical landfill and collects gas from there,” she said.
CSWM has been installing gas wells, with three in place and four more going in over the next month, though at present there is no way to connect the wells to the flare.
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Other additional work will include a fill plan for Cell 2 that takes into account surface water management and leachate generation rates. As well, CSWM wants to update the design and closure plan and the operations plan for the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre. These have not been updated since 2016.
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