North Shore Waste Water Treatment Plant

NexGen Environmental provided dewatering and construction water treatment services for the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade project in Metro Vancouver. The project involved managing groundwater and process water generated during construction while meeting strict municipal discharge requirements. Through customized treatment systems and ongoing operational support, NexGen helped maintain environmental compliance throughout the project while minimizing disruptions to construction activities.

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The Problem

The North Shore Waste Water Treatment Plant project presented a complex remediation challenge in North Vancouver. The groundwater was contaminated with both heavy metals and hydrocarbons, requiring a rigorous treatment process before discharge. Further complicating the logistics, the site had no access to grid power, and the 200 GPM pumping requirement meant that any system failure would lead to immediate flooding, significant financial losses for the City, and environmental damage. Precision planning was essential to manage these high risk contaminants over a multi year timeline without the safety net of permanent site utilities.

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The Solutions

Nexgen engineered a fully self contained, 200 GPM ESC system powered by on site generators to ensure uninterrupted 24/7 operation. The solution featured a robust settling stage with four 5,000 gallon tanks to manage solids, followed by a sophisticated filtration train. We integrated an injection unit and sand filters for primary polishing, leading into specialized Carbon Vessels loaded with Virgin Carbon to strip hydrocarbons and dissolved metals. This mobile, off grid setup allowed for continuous monitoring and a same day response standard, ensuring the treatment remained effective regardless of fluctuating contaminant levels or weather conditions.

The Result

The dewatering and treatment system successfully maintained a dry, stable excavation for the entire 31 month project duration. Despite the complexity of the contaminants and the reliance on portable power, Nexgen achieved 100% environmental compliance with zero violations or incidents. The project benefited from zero dewatering related stoppages, preventing the catastrophic delays and further financial losses originally feared by the client. The successful long term deployment highlighted Nexgen’s ability to provide professional coordination and reliable off grid solutions for high stakes municipal infrastructure projects.

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See This project in Action

View visual proof of our dewatering and remediation expertise across North Vancouver, showcasing both work in progress and 31 months of successful results.

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RESULTS

The numbers behind This Successful Project

These figures show what we accomplished on this coastal project.

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Months
Project Duration
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GPM
Flow Rate Handled
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Independent Generator Powered
Power Reliability
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Incidents
Environmental Violations
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CUSTOMER REVIEWS
"Knowledgeable team that knows what there talking about and setups up systems professionally which avoids you problems in the project. Recommend them for Sediment control systems."
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portfolio

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Fraser Mills: High Flow Contaminated Groundwater Treatment
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NexGen Environmental deployed a high flow contaminated groundwater treatment system for the Fraser Mills redevelopment project in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The project required continuous treatment of groundwater impacted by historical industrial activities while supporting large scale excavation work. NexGen designed and operated a treatment solution capable of handling high water volumes while maintaining regulatory discharge standards, helping construction progress efficiently without environmental delays.

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NexGenEnv Solutions & Services

NexGenEnv supports treatment steps that help manage sediment, contaminants, and site water conditions.

Dewatering Planning
Plan groundwater control before excavation starts. A clear path for setup, discharge, and documentation so the crew is not forced into last-minute decisions.
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plan my dewatering setup
Water Quality Telemetry Support
Tracks water quality signals over time to support consistent operation. Helps keep records cleaner across changing phases.
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View Telemetry Options
Contaminated Water Treatment Systems
Adds treatment steps when water quality requirements go beyond basic control. Built for active sites that need steady throughput.
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Explore Contaminated Treatment
pH Systems
Adds pH control when stable operation requires consistent correction through phase changes. Helps keep the overall process steady.
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View pH Systems

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this dewatering project and our methods.
Still have questions?
Reach out to discuss your specific dewatering needs
How long was the treatment system operational?
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The Nexgen system was operational on-site for 31 months. This long-term deployment ensured that the site remained dry and compliant throughout the extended construction lifecycle of the wastewater treatment plant.
What specific equipment was deployed for this off-grid site?
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To manage the 200 GPM flow without on-site utility power, we deployed a fully independent system. This included portable generators for 24/7 power, 4x 5,000-gallon settling tanks, a chemical injection unit, sand filters, and specialized Carbon Vessels with Virgin Carbon for advanced remediation.
How were environmental concerns and contamination handled?
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The groundwater contained both metals and hydrocarbons, requiring a multi-stage approach. Our system was engineered to strip these contaminants through sequential filtration and carbon adsorption, ensuring 100% environmental compliance with zero violations over the two-and-a-half-year period.
What made the North Shore project particularly challenging?
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The combination of complex contaminants (hydrocarbons + metals) and a complete lack of site power created a high-risk scenario. We had to ensure the system remained 100% reliable using generator power, as any downtime would have resulted in significant financial losses for the City.
Can Nexgen handle similar long-term contaminated projects?
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Yes. Our success in North Vancouver proves our ability to manage multi-year deployments, provide our own off-grid power solutions, and treat high-risk industrial contaminants in sensitive municipal environments.

Ready for Your Next Contaminated Groundwater Treatment Project?

Let Nexgen handle your contaminated groundwater challenges and ensure a dry, stable, and compliant site from start to finish.

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