Well 7 and 8 Capacity Expansion

The Well 7 and 8 expansion project has been progressing behind the scenes. Staff have been reviewing background documents on the wells to better understand the constraints and opportunities on the project. Staff determined that the main constraints are related to testing the wells while they are in service and dealing with old equipment that is nearing the end of its service life. The good news is that the main parts of the well system, including the aquifer, can accommodate higher flows and that the system is already prepared to pump more water. To pump more water, however, the Municipality needs to submit an application to the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks to amend the Municipal Drinking Water Licence. Once completed, the Municipality will be able to pump more water in compliance with regulations and without needing to complete costly upgrades.

The next steps on this project are replacing the aging well pump on Well 7 and to submit an application to the Ministry. Moving forward, staff will be pursuing the next well project identified in the master plan: the drilling of two new wells and the completion of an expanded source water protection plan.

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May 25, 2026

Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study

Gemmill’s Bay Wastewater Pumping Station and Mississippi Mills Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion

Public Notice: Notice of Public Information Centre 2 

The Municipality of Mississippi Mills (Municipality) is conducting a Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) study for the proposed expansion of the existing Gemmill’s Bay Wastewater Pumping Station (GBPS) and Mississippi Mills Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).  The facilities are closely related as all wastewater generated in the urban boundary of Almonte is routed through the GBPS and travels via forcemain to the Mississippi WWTP.  During this Class EA study, a background review and a design basis have been completed which confirmed the findings of the recently completed Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Master Plan (J.L. Richards, 2024) that GBPS and Mississippi Mills WWTP will require capacity expansions in the short-term to accommodate projected wastewater flows generated from new development over the planning period.

The Process

The Class EA study is being carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment document (last amended in February 2024), which is approved under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The Mississippi Mills WWTP Expansion Class EA is being planned following Schedule C process while the GBPS Expansion Class EA shall satisfy the requirements for a Schedule B process. The study will identify and evaluate alternative design concepts for the GBPS and Mississippi Mills WWTP. Preferred pumping and treatment design concepts will be selected to minimize technical, socio-cultural, natural environmental and economic impacts.

Public Consultation

Public consultation is an integral component of the Class EA process, and we value your input during the planning process. Three (3) in-person Public Information Centres (PICs) are being held in association with the Class EA study. The Municipality invites residents to the second PIC to learn about the alternative solutions under consideration and provide their input. Date, time, and location details for PIC #2 are presented below:

• Date / Time: Monday, June 22, 2026 – 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.
• Location: John Levi Community Centre, 182 Bridge St, Almonte, ON K0A 1A0

Notices for PICs will be published on the Municipality’s website (www.mississippimills.ca), social media, 
newsletter, and distributed to all individuals and agencies who express an interest in this project. If you wish to be placed on the Project Contact List to receive notices and information or to provide comments at any time during the process, you can do so by contacting: 

Luke Harrington, B.Eng.
Engineering Coordinator
Development Services & Engineering
Municipality of Mississippi Mills
(613) 256-2064
lharrington@mississippimills.ca

Amy Seymour, P.Eng.
Project Manager
Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
CIMA+
(343) 597-0161
amy.seymour@cima.ca