Graphic with the Victoria County logo and the words “Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System.” A blue and white design features curved blue shapes and the text “Project Update” and “April 2026

Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System

Project Update: April 2026

Construction is progressing on Phase 1 of the Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System, while preliminary planning and design work is underway for Phase 2. In February, the Province announced $1.9 million in funding through the Growth and Renewal for Infrastructure Development Program, which supports municipalities in expanding critical infrastructure and services. The following provides an update on the current status of both phases of the project. 

Phase 1 – Commissioning and Permitting 

The first phase of the Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System is nearing completion. Commissioning of the system is anticipated during the week of April 20. Following commissioning, final documentation will be prepared and submitted to Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change to obtain the required permit to operate.  

Phase 2 – Preliminary Design Underway 

Dillon Consulting Ltd has been engaged to lead Phase 2 of the project and recently introduced their team to Victoria County Council. They bring significant experience in local wastewater infrastructure, including projects in similar rural and coastal environments. 

The team is currently advancing the preliminary design and provided Council with an overview of the study area, existing conditions and potential system configurations. 

Preliminary System Overview 

The proposed infrastructure under consideration includes: 

  • Approximately 5.7 km of gravity sewer 
  • 140 manholes 
  • 1.5 km of force main 
  • 4 lift stations (including one on Parks Canada lands) 
  • 6 low-pressure pump systems 

Considerations 

Design work is being informed by several unique local factors, including: 

  • Mountainous terrain and dispersed development patterns 
  • Coastal constraints 
  • Karst geology, which can impact underground infrastructure 

Several potential system approaches are being explored, including routing options around or across the harbour, as well as the possibility of a second treatment facility on the north side. 

Next Steps 

No decisions have been made at this stage. The project remains in the preliminary design phase, and further analysis is required. 

Dillon Consulting will continue refining options, and along with municipal staff, will work closely with all stakeholders, including private landowners, local businesses, Parks Canada, First Nations communities, and federal and provincial partners. 

Subscribe to project updates on Engage Victoria County   

A dedicated site for this project where all information is available:   Engage Victoria County: Ingonish Wastewater Treatment and Collection System Project 

Resources  

Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System Projects receives Provincial approval

The Municipality of the County of Victoria is pleased to announce that the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Climate Change has granted formal approval for the Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System serving South Ingonish Harbour.

On November 18, 2025, provincial officials confirmed the project met regulatory requirements, allowing Phase 1 construction to move ahead.

This approval marks a major milestone for the project that aims to modernize wastewater services, protect the local environment and support community growth.

With this approval in place, construction on the first phase can officially begin.

Earlier this month, the Municipality shared a project update noting that components of the collection system and modular treatment plant had begun arriving on-site, with crews preparing for installation.

The Municipality will continue to provide regular updates as work progresses.

For more information about the Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System project, please visit the project site on Engage Victoria County.

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A blue and white graphic for the Ingonish Waste Water Treatment System with text reading 'Project Update: November 2025'

Project Update: Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System  

There’s been a lot of visible activity on site of the first phase of the wastewater treatment plant and collection system project which will service the south side of South Ingonish Harbour.  

Components of the collection system and modular plant are being delivered and preparations continue for installation. At the end of October, the treatment plant tank arrived from Granby, Quebec and will soon be buried on site. Additional materials, including the modular treatment plant and concrete manholes are expected to arrive in the coming weeks. 

The budget continues to track as planned, and the Municipality has applied for additional funding through the provincial Growth and Renewal for Infrastructure Development (GRID) Program to support future phases. 

The Municipality is also pleased to share that a letter of support for the project has been received from Chief Norman Bernard on behalf of the Wagmatcook Band Council, recognizing the importance of this infrastructure investment for the region. The letter is available on the Engage Victoria County Ingonish Wastewater Treatment and Collection System Project site.  

The first phase of the project remains on schedule, with commissioning of the treatment plant targeted for mid-December 2025. 

Next Steps – Phase 2 

While construction continues on the first phase, planning and design work are advancing for the next stage of the project. Phase two will extend the collection system north around the harbour to the Parks Canada boundary. Detailed design work is expected to continue into early 2026, followed by a public tender in the spring. 

A second treatment plant has also been ordered and is scheduled for delivery in third quarter of 2026, keeping the project on track for full completion by late 2026. 

Subscribe to project updates on Engage Victoria County  
A dedicated site for this project where all information is available.  
www.engage.victoriacounty.com  

Resources 

Project update poster for the Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System by Victoria County, dated September 2025. The poster includes the Victoria County logo and the slogan 'Naturally Connected'.

Project Update: Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System

At the recent Committee of the Whole meeting held on September 8 at the municipal building, Victoria County Council received an update on the Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System project.

A key highlight from the presentation was the introduction of a modular wastewater treatment plant supplied by Newterra which has a manufacturing and service location in Ontario. This high-efficiency Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) treatment system results in excellent treated effluent, surpassing the standards set by environmental regulations.

The decision to source the MBR system followed a public information session held in March 2025, where area residents emphasized environmental protection as a top priority. Sourcing the system from a supplier in Canada also helps avoid potential delays and added costs associated with cross-border procurement.

Key features of the modular treatment plant include:

  • Advanced treatment: Uses a combination of biological treatment and membrane filtration to produce higher quality effluent than traditional systems.
  • Environmentally friendly:
    • No odour
    • Negligible impact on the temperature of receiving water
    • Sound attenuation built-in
      • Built for our climate: Designed to operate efficiently in cold climates.
      • Flexible configuration: Allows treatment infrastructure to be added as capacity requirements grow. 
      • Compact design: Smaller physical footprint compared to conventional systems.
      • Compatible technology: Integrates seamlessly with the County’s existing SCADA monitoring system.

      For this project there will be two MBR treatment plants with the following capacities:

      • MBR Plant 1: Average Daily Flow – 27,700 gallons/day
      • MBR Plant 2: Average Daily Flow – 59,900 gallons/day

      This modular approach ensures modern, efficient and environmentally responsible wastewater treatment for the Ingonish area.

      In addition, council received updates on the phased construction plan, the status of provincial and federal permitting, ongoing stakeholder engagement and the overall project budget.

      The first phase of the project has been awarded to Zutphen Contractors with construction expected to begin in October.

      More project information can be found on the Engage Victoria County.

      Illustration of a house with a septic system underground. The septic tank is shown in cross-section, revealing its internal compartments and pipes leading to a drain field. The image promotes 'Septic Awareness Week' and includes the dates 'September 15-19'

      It’s Septic Awareness Week 

      Did you know 45 per cent of Nova Scotians rely on a septic system? That’s why Septic Awareness Week (September 15 to 19, 2025) is the perfect time to learn how to maintain your system and about Victoria County’s lending program that helps homeowners upgrade their septic system.  

      Victoria County’s Water Supply/Septic Upgrade Lending Program 

      If you’re a resident of Victoria County, you may be eligible for the Water Supply/Septic Upgrade Lending Program. It’s designed to help homeowners upgrade or replace their water or septic systems through low-interest financing. 

      The program is open to Victoria County property owners on a first come, first served basis until annual funding is allocated. Approved applicants must sign a Financing Agreement outlining the responsibilities. 

      Learn more by reviewing the official bylaw here: Victoria County Water Supply/Septic Upgrade Bylaw. 

      Ready to apply? Submit your request today using the Water Supply or Septic Lending Application Form. 

      Free Septic Awareness Webinar  

      Waste Water Nova Scotia is hosting a free online webinar on September 16 at 7 p.m. to help Nova Scotian’s learn about how to take care of their septic system and avoid costly repairs. 

      Date: September 16 
      Time: 7:00 p.m. 
      Online: via Zoom 
      Click here to register 

      Learn more at wwns.ca.  

      Victoria County Logo on a blue and white background with text reading Ongoniosh Wastewater Treatment System Project Update - August 2025.

      Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System Project Update 

      For more than 35 years, the need for improved wastewater infrastructure in Ingonish has been a topic of discussion. In 2023, Victoria County Council identified water and wastewater in Ingonish as a strategic priority and in 2024, approved a wastewater treatment system project in the Capital Budget. This project aims to enable community growth while delivering key environmental and economic benefits, including increased housing opportunities. 

      Project Overview  

      To address the need for improved wastewater infrastructure and support future growth, the Municipality of Victoria County is building a wastewater treatment and collection system in the community of Ingonish. The new system will provide wastewater services to properties from the Ingonish Landing Marina to the Parks Canada boundary.  

      Phase 1 

      The first phase of the project consists of the construction of a wastewater treatment plant and collection system servicing the south side of South Ingonish Harbour. This phase of the project is currently in the final design and permitting stage. A tender for phase one has been issued and construction is scheduled to begin in September 2025.  

      Phase 2

      The second phase of the project continues north around the harbour to the Parks Canada boundary and consists of an additional wastewater treatment plant and collection system for residential and commercial properties. This is currently in the design stage and construction is not expected to begin until 2026.  

      Design for this second phase will be shaped by available budget and feedback from the community and from the 2025 information sessions and survey. Priority will be given to property owners who responded ‘yes’ or ‘maybe’ to the 2025 survey.   
       
      More information about how and when to connect to the municipal system will be announced as we get closer to the construction dates.  
       
      Subscribe to project updates on Engage Victoria County (Enter your email address under the Stay Informed sign-up banner)

      Related Links 

      A project update from Victoria County regarding the Ingonish Wastewater Treatment System. The update is about a Benthic Habitat Survey of South Ingonish

      Benthic Habitat Survey South Ingonish  

      The results of the benthic habitat survey to study plants, animals, and physical characteristics of the bottom of South Harbour in Ingonish at the proposed wastewater outfall pipe location is now available.

      Introduction 
      Strait Engineering Limited, in collaboration with Municipality of the County of Victoria, is assisting in the planning of a new Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to serve the communities of Ingonish Beach, Keltic Lodge, and surrounding areas. During the permitting process, a Request for Review was submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), who subsequently requested a dedicated benthic habitat survey at the proposed outfall pipe location. Dillon Consulting Limited (Dillon) was retained to develop the study plan for this survey and to carry out the video analysis and reporting. For the field surveys, Dillon subcontracted Commercial Diving and Marine Service Canada (CMDS). 

      Methodology 
      A benthic habitat survey was completed in South Ingonish Harbour on June 16, 2025. A total of five (5) lead lines were placed throughout the survey area, each running 150 m in length and subdivide into 5 m sections. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used to follow each transect line. At each 5 m interval, the ROV completed a pan of the surrounding habitat. The ROV followed the transect as closely as possible, typically within 1 m of the seabed, at a constant, relatively low speed. The use of the ROV increased the overall safety of the project as it removed the necessity of having divers in the water. Following the completion of the field surveys, CDMS provided Dillon with HD video collected for each transect. Videos were reviewed by experienced biologists, who described the habitat for each transect and noted any marine vegetation, benthic macroinvertebrates, and finfish that were observed. 

      Results 
      The habitat within South Ingonish Harbour showed very little variation throughout the survey area. The substrate was dominated by fine material, a combination of mud, silt and organic material. There was no coarser substrate observed. Marine vegetation was largely absent, with only isolated areas of sparse filamentous algae coverage. There were no finfish observed or benthic macroinvertebrates observed, save for sparse occurrences of oyster shells. No specialized habitat was observed within the transects. Eelgrass was not present within the transects. The habitat present is suitable for general fish use however it is not anticipated that it would be used for life processes including spawning or rearing. 

      → Read the complete Benthic Habitat Survey in South Ingonish Nova Scotia Memo

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