The City of London is undertaking a Schedule B Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) to identify a preferred solution for flood protection and climate change resiliency at the Adelaide Wastewater Treatment Plant.
In April 2019, the City of London Council declared a climate emergency to deepen our commitment to protecting our economy, ecosystems, and communities from climate change through adaptation and mitigation initiatives. The ensuing Climate Emergency Action Plan addresses the City’s responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resiliency.
The City secured federal funding through the Government of Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund for this project, as well as for climate change resiliency improvements at the Greenway Wastewater Treatment Plant. These climate resiliency projects are being coordinated with the long-term planning underway for the City’s wastewater treatment plants. This coordination will ensure that resiliency opportunities identified in the EA will serve the City well into the future.
As part of the EA process, the project team will identify alternative flood protection to improve treatment plant asset resiliency, enhance treatment capabilities, and improve plant safety. These alternatives will be evaluated in consultation with local residents, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders to identify a preferred solution.
The initial technical studies completed for the EA indicate that feasible flood protection approaches include flood barriers such as berms and floodwalls to protect critical infrastructure assets at the wastewater treatment plant and reduce the environmental impacts of flooding.
The City is hosting two virtual Public Information Centres (PICs) for this project. These PICs will share information about alternative flood protection approaches and present key project opportunities, challenges, and constraints. Additionally, these PICs will provide the opportunity for stakeholders to offer input and identify any concerns or local information to support the EA consultation.
