Tofino is a secluded coastal village located within Clayoquot Sound, a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This pristine habitat hosts an abundance of wildlife and is a traditional shellfish harvesting area for the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. Over 750K visitors come to Tofino each year to experience its breathtaking beaches, old-growth rainforest, eclectic town & ecologically diverse wildlife.

Despite the environmental sensitivity of the area, the District was the last remaining municipality on Vancouver Island still discharging raw sewage into waterways. Historical sampling showed that the receiving water quality routinely did not meet coliform limits for recreational use and shellfish harvesting, resulting in major shellfish harvesting closures. This damaged Tofino’s international eco-tourism reputation and impacted the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, and commercial and recreational fishing. The community was eager for a solution.

The local population is about 2500, yet the District had to build a large enough WWTP to accommodate visiting tourists. This also meant the local tax base was limited in terms of funding this major investment. WSP’s initial involvement began in the planning stages and assisting the District successfully attain the initial provincial and federal funding.

After years of stakeholder engagement, a major roadblock occurred when the original design was tendered during the 2020 pandemic. Escalating construction and labour costs for this remote site far exceeded the available budget, bringing work to a standstill. WSP, the District, and NAC worked collaboratively to redesign the WWTP and conveyance. Through value engineering sessions, the team implemented an alternate process technology and several cost-optimized solutions while maintaining treatment objectives and level of service. Over the next 8 months, this collaborative, alternative delivery approach brought the project within budget, successfully advancing it to the construction phase.

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION: WSP worked with the District of Tofino to engage the Tla-o-qui-aht & Ahousaht First Nations, Parks Canada, and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. Community input was key in selection of the WWTP site, pump stations & pipelines.

ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY: To address budget deficits the project transitioned to a unique delivery model involving a Memorandum of Understanding with NAC , wherein WSP collaborated with the District and NAC to review the original design for constructability and cost saving opportunities. This included reduced concrete volumes, prefabricated buildings and tanks, and optimizing equipment. This was the largest capital project in the District’s history.

PROCESS SELECTION: Through a comprehensive selection process and to handle the seasonal fluctuation in flow rates and loading, Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) secondary treatment was selected as a compact & efficient solution. WSP provided continuous support throughout plant start-up and commissioning, optimizing operability & automation.

SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES: Improvement of waterway quality and shellfish closures was key. The new WWTP effluent complies with the most stringent fecal coliform standards to protect shellfish and includes process water reuse to address summer water shortages. The outfall & influent pipe were routed through an existing trail, requiring less rainforest clearing while also enhancing this community trail after restoration.

Despite early budget challenges during the pandemic and redesign delays, the project was a major success. Following the transition to the collaborative delivery model, the project was substantially completed on Sep 20 2024, two months ahead of schedule. The final construction value increased by only 3.4%, reflecting these cost-effective solutions. Most importantly, Tofino now has a functioning wastewater treatment system that meets regulatory standards, ensuring cleaner waters on the West Coast.