MAGNA Engineering Services Inc. (MAGNA) has completed work on an upgrade to the Leslieville Wastewater Treatment Facility.

A Grand Opening and toilet tissue cutting ceremony is being held on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.

Officials say, in partnership with Alberta Innovates (AI), the current lagoon was upgraded to a treatment system using MAGNA’s Biofilter Wetland System (MBWS). The MBWS uses sub-surface engineered wetlands to provide a robust, economical, and easy-to-maintain wastewater treatment system. On a more technical level, MAGNA’s MBWS is described as a naturalized wastewater treatment system that combines pre-treatment and engineered wetlands to provide communities with a low operations and maintenance option to meet high-quality effluent requirements.

“Alberta Innovates is pleased to play a role in the creation of a sustainable wastewater treatment centre for the community of Leslieville in Clearwater County, Alberta,” says Mark Summers, Associate Vice President of Agriculture and Environment at Alberta Innovates. “This project is tremendous for the community, as it provides a low complexity solution with no chemical inputs and reduced utility costs. That’s a win for those in Leslieville, and a good news story for all Albertans.”

MAGNA Engineering Services Inc. is described as a civil engineering consulting firm dedicated to delivering innovative, cost-effective, infrastructure solutions for municipalities and communities across Western Canada and beyond. The company says it offers services ranging from project feasibility to final construction completion in all municipal and civil engineering areas – from senior project management and engineering services to GIS and CAD services. The company’s mission is to create communities in harmony with the world around us by delivering high-quality, cost-effective, nature-based solutions to meet their client’s infrastructure needs.

According to MAGNA, many small Canadian communities cannot afford a conventional wastewater treatment facility but need more than simple lagoon systems that do not reach increasing environmental standards.

Officials add, the traditional facilities, while not technically robust are equipped with mechanical processes and chemicals and are expensive to operate and maintain.

“By creating the MBWS, MAGNA Engineering is turning wastewater into a sustainable and environmentally friendly resource. Wastewater solutions shouldn’t be expensive or frustrating, and MAGNA is helping smaller communities like Leslieville alleviate that,” says Jennifer Massig, President and CEO, MAGNA Engineering Services.