Edmonton Airports Shares Award for Stormwater Management Plan

Edmonton — Edmonton Airports and UMA Engineering Ltd. were honoured with an Award of Merit presented at the Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA) Showcase Awards held in Calgary earlier this month. Edmonton International Airport’s Stormwater Management Plan received an Award of Merit in the category of Water Resources, Energy Production.

In 1997, a stormwater management plan was needed to address quantity issues related to increases in development at Edmonton International Airport and quality issues dealing with the requirements to mitigate aircraft de-icing chemical contamination in the stormwater. In 1998, the construction of the Subsurface Wetlands Treatment Facility was contracted to UMA Engineering Ltd. based in Edmonton. The completed project was commissioned in 2001.

Since not all of the aircraft de-icing fluid (glycol) used at Edmonton International Airport is recovered, some of it is present in the airport’s stormwater and is captured through the Stormwater Management Program. The new system integrates the stormwater collection system serving the apron area by channeling the fluids into detention ponds. Stormwater containing glycol is passed through this wetland system treatment facility prior to being discharged in Whitemud Creek, ensuring regulatory compliance with Alberta Environment.

The six million dollar project included storm sewer installations underneath the airport taxiway and runway, extensive channel excavation, a 300,000 cubic metre detention facility and a subsurface wetland treatment system. The wetland treatment process improves water quality through a variety of physical and chemical processes, and will minimize the impact of glycol in stormwater discharges at Edmonton International Airport.

“We are proud to be a part of this leading edge technology that supports our responsibility to respect and preserve our environment,” states Scott Clements, President & CEO of Edmonton Airports. “The development of this facility required ongoing cooperation and commitment by many ETeam companies operating out of Edmonton International Airport. I am proud that our many partners on the Stormwater Management Committee have been recognized through this prestigious award.”

Edmonton Airports is a not-for-profit organization mandated to manage the region’s airport assets on behalf of and in the best interest of the Capital Region.