musquodoboit harbour watershed studies - mhaccca– planning office of hrm planning &...

Musquodoboit Harbour

Watershed Studies

Information Meeting - Agenda • Introduction (Bob Bjerke, Chief Planner)

• Welcome (Coun. David Hendsbee)

• Watershed study overview (Marcus Garnet, Senior

Planner)

• Questions (Bob Bjerke and Marcus Garnet)

• Closing Remarks (Bob Bjerke and Coun. Hendsbee)

Musquodoboit Harbour Arena

Multipurpose Room

7:00 pm

June-20-14

Musquodoboit Harbour Watershed Studies Information Meeting

19 June 2014

June-20-14

HRM Watershed Studies

COMPLETED/IMMINENT:

• Hubbards

• Lake Echo

• Musquodoboit Harbour

• Porters Lake

• Shubenacadie Lakes

• Tantallon

FUTURE:

• Birch Cove Lakes

• East Preston-Sandy Lake

• Musquodoboit Valley

• Prospect

June-20-14 Musquodoboit Harbour Watershed Studies

Study

Area

Origin

• 2006 RMPS Policy E-17 requires watershed studies prior to secondary planning, to determine the carrying capacity and meet water quality objectives

• Community Vision Action Plan Goal I-1 is to explore options for water and sewer in the village core

June-20-14 Musquodoboit Harbour

Watershed Studies

Specialist Engagement • CBCL engineering, technical and planning expertise

• Halifax Water costing and policy input

• HRM planning and financial analysis

• Halifax Regional Watersheds Advisory Board review and

recommendations to Community Council


Watershed Studies June-20-14

CBCL References - Groundwater • Ham, 1999. Geological Map of the Musquodoboit Batholith, OFM ME

1999-2. NSDONR.

• McIntosh, 1984. Groundwater Hydrographs in Nova Scotia 1965-81.

NSDOE.

• NSDEL, 2005. Water Well Records Database.

• NSDEL, 2005. Pumping Test Database.

• Pinder, 1968a. Hydrogeology of the Lower Musquodoboit River

Valley, Nova Scotia, Report 68-2. NSDOM.

• Pinder, 1968b. Application of the Digital Computer for Aquifer

Evaluation, Water Resources Research, 4: 1069-1093.

• Also geological maps

CBCL References - Receiving Waters

• Loucks & Sadler, 1971. “Exchange processes between Petpeswick

Inlet and continental shelf waters: a preliminary report.” AOL

(Canada)

• Loucks, 1993. “A snapshot view of Petpeswick Inlet water Quality”

• Young, Walter & Gaudet, 2001. “Re-evaluation Report – Nova Scotia

Shellfish Growing Sectors 12-010 to 14-040, Musquodoboit –

Lockeport.” Manuscript Report No. EP-AR-2001-4. EC, EPB

• Also general references

Community Engagement One of several initiatives linked to Community Vision

MHRRA Infrastructure Subcommittee

MHRRA engineer representation on Steering Committee

Meeting with interested landowners/developers

MHRRA Infrastructure Subcommittee analysis assisted by

HRM Finance



Milestones Watershed Study Final Report (2007)

Follow-Up Study Final Report (2010)

RWAB (March 12, 2014)

Community Council (June 12, 2014)

Information Meeting (June 19, 2014)

June-20-14

Why the second study?

• Reduce service area

• Optimize the general concepts and costs presented in the 2007 study

• Integrate local knowledge and expertise

• Recommend potential servicing schemes

… all to allow development consistent with the Community Vision


Watershed Studies

Two Watershed Studies

FIRST STUDY:

- Small-diameter sewer

with septic tanks

- All existing low-

density plus higher-

density infill

- Wide area (176 ha)

- Medium growth


Watershed Studies

FOLLOW-UP STUDY:

- Standard sewer, no septic

tanks

- Some existing low-density

but mostly higher-density infill

- Focused area (12.5, 70 or

126 ha)

- Low, Median & High growth

Follow-Up Study Service Area

Component Studies included…

• Groundwater

• Receiving waters

• Surface water & eutrophication

• Watershed feature conservation

• Sources of contamination

• HRM Stormwater Guidelines adaptation

• Natural corridors & habitats

• Riparian buffers

• Development potential


Watershed Studies 20/06/2014

Three serviceable parcels

Technical Options

Servicing:

• Water only

• Sewer only

• Sewer and water

Sewage Treatment Plant:

• Secondary with trunk corridor extension

• Tertiary with no corridor extension


Watershed Studies

Piped Water Only – Potential Service Area

2013 Estimated Minimum Capital Costs+

Growth Scenario >>>

Servicing Options vvv

2006 2026

Low

2026

Low-Med

2026

Med

2026

High

Central Pipe Hookups: 0 sewer

0 water

320 sewer

449 water

0 sewer

758 water

1316 sewer

1444 water

2397 sewer

2418 water

Central Water Only n/a $8.9 million $10.7 million 11.2 million 12.7 million

Cost/service n/a $19,743 $14,143 $7,727** 5,270**

Central Sewer Only n/a $23.4 million n/a* $28 million $32.4 million

Cost/service n/a $69,770 n/a* $20,991 $13,510

Central Water & Sewer n/a $32.5 million n/a* $39.2 million $45.1 million

Cost/service n/a $89,513 n/a* $28,718 $18,781

+ Also add approx. 10% for engineering fees, 4.3% net HST, and 2.35% for interest and overhead. Does not include any land acquisition costs.

* Low-Medium Growth Scenario assumes cluster subdivision with disposal fields; 2 units/ acre net density

** Water-Only would not enable enough density to meet the Medium or High Growth Scenarios.

Operating Costs

• in addition to the capital and financing costs

• paid by each landowner via regular billing

• billing amount would be independent of metro area

• estimated average: $520 per hookup

• assumes 720 water hook-ups

• plus a Wastewater Management District fee


Watershed Studies

Challenges

• Very high costs to homeowners

• Would there be enough new development to ensure that HRM recovers all up-front capital costs?

• No external funding opportunities


Watershed Studies

Findings for Watershed • Up-river agriculture affects affects harbour &

watercourse

• Local septic run-off affects lower rivers, harbour & inlet

• Peninsula interiors have a groundwater recharge

function



Implications for Growth • Approx. 150-600 acres (60-250 ha) of developable land

within 15-10 minute walk of centre

• On-site well & septic could enable 1.6 people/acre

(4pph)

• At 2.4 people per household, this would average 0.7

units/acre

• Could still accommodate over 250 more units (500 more

people) within a walkable distance

• These are average gross densities

• Cluster subdivision could enable more compact

densities in specific locations closest to the village core



RWAB/HEMDCC Resolution

• Accept CBCL reports as background for future

community planning

• Recommend that the Environment & Sustainability

Standing Committee request a staff report to consider:

– a wastewater management district

– a floodplain mapping study

– routine testing of discharges from plants & stormwater systems

– developing a plan for regular septic maintenance

– water quality monitoring of rivers

– recommending that the Province upgrade their water systems



Next Steps

• Community Council conveys its

recommendation (originating from the

RWAB) to the Environment & Sustainability

Standing Committee

• Environment & Sustainability Standing

Committee requests a staff report to

consider the items raised by RWAB

• Staff prepares the report to the Standing

Committee



RP+5 Public Hearing Tuesday, June 24, 2014, at 6:00 p.m. in the Halifax Regional

Council Chambers at City Hall, 1841 Argyle Street, Halifax

Written submissions may be forwarded to the Municipal Clerk:

• By mail: P.O. Box 1749, Halifax, NS, B3J 3A5

• By fax: 490-4208

• By e-mail: [email protected].

Written submissions must be received by the Municipal Clerk’s

office no later than 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24, 2014.



For more RP+5 information… • On-line at http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/cagenda.php and

by choosing the appropriate meeting dates (May 20, 2014 and June 24, 2014)

• Paper copies can be inspected in person at:

– Office of the Municipal Clerk, 1st Floor City Hall, 1841 Argyle St., Halifax

– Bayers Road Customer Service Centre, 2nd Floor (Suite 2005), 7071 Bayers Rd., Halifax

– Planning Office of HRM Planning & Infrastructure, 3rd Floor, Dartmouth Ferry Terminal Building, 88 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth

• Arrangements can also be made to obtain electronic or paper copies by contacting the Clerk’s Office (490-4210) or Planning Services (490-4937)



Thank you!

Questions?


Watershed Studies

APPENDIX Financial and Technical Notes

Objectives of First Study

• Identify opportunities for development in the community and on the peninsula between Musquodoboit Harbour and Petpeswick Inlet

• Develop a plan showing all land suitable for development, with recommended densities and services


Watershed Studies

Follow-Up Study Objectives • Increase assimilative capacity by addressing faulty

sewage systems

• Optimize configuration for small sewage system

• Feasibility and cost of central water only

• Water supply potential of Musquodoboit & Little Rivers

• Possible contaminant impacts on potential wells next to

Musquodoboit River

• Achievable 5-10 year population growth, density and

distribution with on-site, piped water or combined piped

services

• Analyze existing water quality data in Little River


Watershed Studies

Likely Development

Likely Development

Low Growth Medium Growth

10-year horizon 300 units 165 units 660 units

20-year horizon unknown 330 units 1320 units

Open Space

Subdivision

Conventional

Subdivision

Cost Recovery Mechanisms

Existing Future

Plants CCC CCC

Trunk Pipes LIC LIC

Local Pipes n/a Construction

Risks

• Septic systems on existing lots might be unable to cope with piped water

• Bromates or radionucleides might increase treatment costs


Watershed Studies

Why the delay?

• test case for piped servicing for a Rural

Growth Centre

• important input to RP+5

• follow-up study

• community representation in follow-up study

• inter-agency discussions (Halifax Water)

• Internal HRM discussions (risk)

• community representatives requested a

delay to explore further options and costs


Watershed Studies

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