Construction on McEwen Ave sanitary pump station

This notice is to advise residents that construction at 31 McEwen will be starting in August 2022. Visit West Ottawa Flow Through Pump Station Upgrades project site for more information. 

What:       This project will upgrade four (4) existing ‘flow through’ sanitary wastewater pump stations located in Bay Ward (Ward 7) to improve their operation and reliability. The flow through stations normally operate as a gravity sewer; however, they switch operation from a gravity sewer to a sanitary pump station once the downstream receiving sanitary trunk sewer is surcharged or overtaxed to prevent upstream basement flooding.

Pumping Station Locations

• Britannia and Howe
• Pooler at Deschesnes
• Lincoln Heights
• McEwen

Improvements are required for upgrades for reliability and resiliency as the current configuration requires regular maintenance and manual operation. The proposed upgrades include installing new backup generators required for emergency situations, replacing existing pumps with two (2) new pumps (One Duty and One Standby/Backup), updating electrical and instrumentation to current standard requirements and other miscellaneous improvements.

Why:       Due to the age, condition and level of operation and maintenance required for the existing infrastructure and the lack of redundancy from basement sewer backup protection, the City will be proceeding with the completion of the work required to improve the reliability of these pumping stations. The project will upgrade each station to have redundancy in pumping (duty/standby configuration), resiliency in instrumentation monitoring, power and controls to reduce the likelihood of having a failure that could result in flooding.

When:    Construction is planned for the flow through station near you in August 2022 and is expected to be completed by summer 2023.

Where:   McEwen sanitary pump station: 31 McEwen Avenue.

All proposed upgrades will be installed within City right of way or within existing legal City Utility Easement. Proposed backup generators will also be installed within City Park Land or City right of way.

Who:       The City of Ottawa has retained the Contractor, Black & McDonald Ltd., to complete the work.

Accessibility

Accessibility is an important consideration for the City of Ottawa. The City makes every effort to provide access through and around construction sites. If you require special accommodation, please contact the project team listed below. Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request, at the following link: ottawa.ca/accessibleformat

Traffic Management

Lane reductions and alternating traffic can be expected during construction to accommodate the work.  Access to private properties will be maintained throughout the construction period. Access for pedestrians and cyclists will maintained. 

On-Street Parking

As the various construction activities are in progress on your street, on-street parking will be restricted. In the event that access to your driveway is restricted due to construction activities, a Temporary On-Street Parking Permit (orange form) will be distributed to permit on-street parking within two blocks of your residence.

Impact on the Right of Way

The reconstruction is within the City’s right of way but may result in some disruption to part of the private property directly adjacent to the work. The City will reinstate all sections of landscaping, driveways and walkways that are disturbed by construction. However, if you have plants or any other assets located within the City’s right of way that you want to preserve, we suggest that you may want to move the plants in preparation for the construction work. 

Property Damage Caused by Construction Activities

As part of this Contract, the Contractor is assuming full responsibility for the construction work until it is entirely complete, as well as any damages to private property resulting from these construction activities. In the event of such occurrences, all claims for damages should be immediately reported both verbally and in writing to the Contractor and to the City’s on-site Representative. This will ensure prompt notification of appropriate authorities to complete the claim investigations.

Construction Disruptions

The Contractor will take every precaution to minimize interruptions to the everyday life of your family and/or operation of your business, but as you can appreciate, there may be some inconvenience during the course of the construction work, such as delays and traffic detours, parking restrictions, noise and dust. You may also feel vibrations due to heavy equipment operations. Vibrations from construction activities are quite common and rarely cause any problems. We would like to thank you for your patience and co-operation.

For construction activity hours of work, the City of Ottawa follows provincial requirements and the City’s Noise By-law (2017-255).  

Contact Information

• For any emergency outside normal working hours, please call the City at 3-1-1. 
• For general project information, please contact the City’s Project Manager. 
• For construction related questions or concerns, please contact the Contractor Representative.