River Report: Edition 1

Welcome to the first edition of our River Report! This time round, we’re talking Fernie’s urban development, our aging wastewater treatment system, and the challenges that come with a changing community. Read on to stay informed!

Can Our Wastewater System Keep Up With Fernie’s Urban Development?

Urban development is reigniting a conversation our community has been having for years. A new apartment proposal at 5th and 5th in downtown Fernie and the addition of the Everwild Fernie Nordic Spa and Hotel (Basecamp Resorts) raise an important question: Can our aging wastewater treatment plant keep up with Fernie’s growth?

The system wasn’t built for this

Fernie’s Wastewater Treatment Plant was designed decades ago to send treated wastewater through underground Rapid Infiltration (RI) Basins. That system doesn’t work as designed anymore. High groundwater levels, aging infrastructure, and increased pressure on the system from climate change and development mean the City discharged more treated effluent to the Elk River than its 1989 permit allows. This violation was flagged by the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks in a formal warning letter in 2020. To remediate this violation, the City applied for authorization in 2022 to legally discharge continuously to the Elk River, and submitted its completed application on October 31, 2025.

One of the central concerns is ammonia concentrations, specifically, Total Ammonia Nitrate (TAN). TAN is toxic to fish and aquatic life at high concentrations. Median TAN levels leaving the plant are 23 mg/L, while the proposed TAN discharge compliance level is 7 mg/L or less.

The current plant wasn’t built with nitrification processes, the biological process that converts ammonia into harmless compounds, because the old permit didn’t require it. Now that Fernie is moving toward discharging to surface water rather than groundwater, the rules have changed. To fix this the City proposed a five-step plan currently estimated at $40 million. This plan proposes new aeration systems and additional treatment cells, ammonia-removing reactors, increased UV disinfection capacity, a rebuilt Riverside Lift Station, and a new lift station to move treated wastewater to a relocated outfall pipe. Construction is expected to run through 2029.

A history of emergency discharge events

Emergency discharge isn’t a hypothetical risk, it’s already happened several times. From December 8-10, 2025, Fernie received 115mm of rain in three days (nearly 1.5 times the normal December totals). The plant was pushed beyond its limits. Average daily inflow to the plant is ~4,650 m³/day and this storm brought 67,000 m³ over three days (~22,000 m³/day).

The flood threatened sewage backing up into homes and businesses and nearly flooded the Riverside Lift Station, which would cause a much larger failure. The City opened three emergency discharge points, releasing wastewater directly into the Elk River. About 85% of that discharge was partially treated, having already passed through the infiltration basins, while the remaining 15% was untreated.

It’s not a question of if this will happen again, but when. When heavy rain, aging pipes, and a growing population collide, it creates a problem the current $40 million upgrade plan is not designed to solve. It’s driven by stormwater and groundwater seeping in through cracked pipes, bad connections, and manhole infiltration. 

It’s not a question of if this will happen again, but when. When heavy rain, aging pipes, and a growing population collide, it creates a problem the current $40 million upgrade plan is not designed to solve. It’s driven by stormwater and groundwater seeping in through cracked pipes, bad connections, and manhole infiltration. 

The solution must include an overhaul of the faulty infrastructure itself (pipes, man holes and lift stations), on top of the new discharge permit and treatment plant updates. The cost of which is difficult to fund for a tax-base of Fernie’s size without significant assistance from higher levels of government.

Photo Credit: Scott Tibballs via Facebook. Wooden pipes highlighting Fernie’s aging infrastructure.

To address this the City has started an application for funding from a federal program called the Building Communities Strong Fund. Right now, the City is expected to finish the detailed project in fall 2026. Upon completion the City will have a real cost of the project. Once Council approves the plan, the City can submit the full funding application. Finally, the City needs to register under the Municipal Wastewater Regulation, a provincial rule that sets standards for treating wastewater. This registration acts as the City’s new permit. Once registered, the City has three years to build the upgrades needed to meet new standards. 

With average atmospheric temperatures increasing due to climate change, heavy rain events are likely to become more frequent. That means demand on the treatment plant is set to grow alongside a population it’s already struggling to serve.

Where do new developments in town fit?

Fernie’s population grew by 17% between 2016 and 2021, and swells by up to 30% during peak seasons. Every new connection adds pressure to an already failing system. That doesn’t mean new housing shouldn’t happen, we know Fernie needs new housing options, but it does mean infrastructure capacity and corporate taxes deserve a serious look alongside any new development proposals. 

Photo Credit: BC Watershed Security Coalition. B.C. charges Canada’s lowest industrial water rates, finds report.

According to the City, a recent compliance analysis found the existing plant can already treat the flows from all developments approved to date, with the exception of a handful of isolated performance issues unrelated to flow volume. In other words, the upgraded plant is meant to handle flows beyond today’s demand.

The gradual development of the last decade is not the driving factor behind the events causing untreated wastewater discharge to the river. Instead, it’s the weather’s effect on an aging collection system. For example, dry-weather flow to the plant averaged 3,012-3,555 m³/day from 2016-2023, while during and after the 2026 March Atmospheric River, flows ran 6-7 times higher, at 20,000-24,000 m³/day for six straight days. 

The City acknowledges one piece of the growth question: new development incrementally adds to the plant’s existing non-compliant effluent volumes. That specific piece is what the current Municipal Wastewater Regulation application is meant to resolve.

Do these pose a risk to our drinking water supply?

Absolutely not. Fernie’s drinking water comes from upstream groundwater sources, Fairy Creek Spring and the James White Park Well, and is regularly tested. These discharge events do not pose a direct risk to tap water. 

How can you help?

While the City works through a multi-year, multi-million dollar upgrade, individual action can genuinely ease pressure, especially during heavy rainfall. With your own home you can try to:

• Reduce water use during rainfall.
• Install a rain barrel to capture roof run off for garden use, your plants don’t need treated drinking water to thrive. 
• Redirect sump pumps and rain ladders away from the sewer system and toward your lawn or rain barrel instead.
• Wash your car at the car wash, not in the driveway, so soap and pollutants don’t run straight into the river. 
• Support green infrastructure. Wetlands and vegetated areas naturally filter stormwater before it reaches the river. 
• Stay informed on the City’s wastewater upgrade status and any public engagement opportunities.
• Reach out to us! The Elk River Alliance is always here to answer any questions. We’re tracking this and want the community to be informed every step of the way, so we can all work together towards a more resilient and sustainable wastewater system.

Fernie’s growth is exciting, but it can’t come at the expense of the watershed we all depend on.