August 7th, 2025 • Volume 6 • Issue 24

Regional Councillor Tom Insinna

Niagara Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant – Construction on the Break Wall – Knights of Columbus Pasta Dinner

I had the opportunity to tour the Niagara Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant on Stanley Ave. As you will recall, I was surprised at the condition of the Water Treatment Plant in Welland; well, this surpassed my astonishment.

This water treatment plant, built in 1963, is the largest in the region, with a capacity of over 68 million litres of wastewater per day. Everything that is flushed from Niagara Falls and the surrounding area enters the facility’s raw sewage pumping and screening area.  As a note, there is no shut-off to stop the inflow of sewage, so repairs are done in a very precise way.

This was the point where I was taken aback, as we went through the area, the alarms that employees carry with them went off, requiring all of us to move out of the area. The level of noxious fumes was too high, and everyone had to leave that immediate area. It is this area that is in critical condition. Whatever is screened out of the water has to be removed and transported up a level and out of the plant. The system is so old and past its life expectancy that the parts to fix it are no longer available and have to be custom-made at a very costly expense.

Once past this stage, the wastewater goes to 6 settling tanks that are old and in poor condition. Within the tanks, there are concrete mechanisms to begin the purification; these sludge and scum collectors are in desperate need of repair. Repairs are being done to keep the facility running, as I noted, at a great expense to residents.

To fix the two locations, the intake and the settling tanks, the cost is well over $80 million. As many are aware, the Province of Ontario has given what amounts to a written deficiency warning due to output levels of toxins in the water not meeting Provincial standards. Staff at the wastewater plant have worked diligently to bring the outflow water into compliance.

I must say that I truly am grateful to the staff at all the plants for the work they do. It is because of them that we have clean drinking water and can flush the toilets we use. It has come to a point in time that we now have to take care of our facilities before they fail.

Our Commissioner of Public Works, along with the Director of Water/Wastewater, will present a plan outlining how we can move forward and address problems that have been brewing for decades. Thank you to all involved, you are truly appreciated!   

As you drive down the Niagara Blvd by Mathers Arch, you can see the construction being done to fix the break wall along the river. The Niagara Parks, along with the contractor, have come up with a way to strengthen the wall by using another layer of special stone just on the water side of the wall. The project is hoped to be completed in several months.

Mark August 23rd on your calendar; the Knights of Columbus will be holding a pasta dinner (take-out only) from 4 pm to 6 pm. Pasta, along with meatballs, will be served for $10.00 and will be distributed at St Michael’s Church Hall on Central Avenue. If you would like a ticket(s), please get in touch with Derrick at 905-651-1813 to reserve yours. All proceeds go to support the Fort Erie Soccer Club.

I will see you at the Siege Reenactment at the Old Fort on August 9th and 10th!

Please remember to be kind to others and keep smiling!