The Comox Valley Water Pollution Control Centre (CVWPCC) is a sewage treatment facility operated by the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) for the communities of Courtenay, Comox, K’ómoks First Nation, and CFB Comox on Vancouver Island. The facility also accepts septage from septic systems in surrounding Electoral Areas. It opened in March 1984 and is located at 445 Brent Road, Comox.
Do you live near the treatment plant?
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Odour Complaints
Do you have a complaint about odours or noise at the Comox Valley Wastewater Pollution Control Centre? To have your complaint logged as part of our tracking system please click the button below to fill out our online form.
About this facility
The CVWPCC processes wastewater for 45,000 residents in the Comox Valley, discharging an average daily flow of 17,000 m3 of treated, effluent to the Strait of Georgia three kilometres off shore. The CVWPCC is classified as a Level IV plant.
How is the wastewater treated?
The CVPWCC is a conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment facility. This means wastewater treatment includes screening and degritting to remove solids, and aeration to remove organic matter before discharging treated effluent. Regular testing is conducted to ensure the system is working effectively and meeting permit requirements.
Solids from the treatment process are collected and taken to the CVRD’s Compost Facility where the biosolids are used to produce nutrient rich soil that can be used for landscaping, orchards, flower gardens and lawns. Visit our webpage to learn more about our SkyRocket product.
In addition, odorous air is collected throughout the facility and treated through a combination of a wet chemical scrubber and an activated carbon polisher before being discharged.
The facility also utilizes an equalization basin that ensures that treatment and discharge systems work properly during the highest inflows of any given year. During the few days a year when inflows are at their highest (winter storms coinciding with high tides), the equalization basin holds excess wastewater so that all wastewater is treated properly before being discharged into the ocean. For more information about this important infrastructure project read our FAQ.
Planned Upgrades
To keep the centre working well, minimize its impacts on the neighbourhood and prepare it for the growth in the Comox Valley and surrounding regions that are services by the CVWPCC, development of a Stage 3 Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) is currently underway for the sewer service. As part of the plan, an upgrade schedule will be developed for the CVWPCC to ensure the facility can continue to process and treat wastewater for the next 50 years. Further information will be provided as works progresses and it becomes available.
Visit our LWMP project page to learn more.
Questions?
If you have a question about the Comox Valley Water Pollution Control Centre please contact us by email or phone our engineering services department at 250-334-6000.