Regulations Drive Nutrient Recovery and Reuse at Winnipeg’s Largest Treatment Facility: The Winnipeg North End Sewage Plant Design Build Upgrade Project

The Government of Manitoba is the first regulator in North America to introduce a nutrient recovery and reuse mandate. The Manitoba Water Protection Act also directs the Winnipeg North End Sewage Treatment Plant (NEWPCC aka North End Water Pollution Control Centre) to remove nutrients primarily using biological methods and to minimize chemical use. These new regulations are significant drivers for the current nutrient removal upgrade of the plant.This paper provides a technical summary of the project focusing on the practical aspects of regulatory driven innovations in the solids handling approach selected for the NEWPCC. The information presented highlights key design considerations for the unique solids processing stream, which combines phosphorus release tanks, a thermal hydrolysis process (THP), struvite recovery and sidestream nitrogen removal.