Revitalizing Hamilton, Ontario’s Water Infrastructure: Upgrading the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant

Jacobs is working with the City of Hamilton to deliver one of Canada’s most significant wastewater infrastructure projects — the multi-phase upgrade and expansion of the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Situated at the western tip of Lake Ontario, the plant is the largest single source of water flowing into Hamilton Harbour, a body of water designated as a Great Lakes Area of Concern due to historic pollution and habitat degradation.

The upgrades — spanning two major phases and representing over $543 million (CA$760 million) in investment — are the cornerstone of the city’s Clean Harbour Program, a decades-long initiative to restore the harbour’s ecological health and support Hamilton’s sustainable growth.

Laying the foundation for cleaner water

Completed in 2024, the $243 million (CA$340 million) Phase 1 Upgrade of the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant was a comprehensive modernization project designed to significantly enhance treatment performance and effluent quality. As prime consultant, Jacobs managed all phases of design, regulatory approvals, tendering, construction services and commissioning.

The upgrades included expanding and reconfiguring the secondary treatment system to increase reliability and enable year-round nitrification — a critical biological step in wastewater treatment that converts toxic ammonia into nitrate. Treatment efficiency was also improved through reconfigured and expanded secondary clarifiers — large settling tanks that separate particles from treated water — and upgraded aeration systems, blowers and return sludge facilities that help beneficial bacteria break down waste more effectively. The introduction of tertiary treatment incorporated the world’s largest disk filtration facility — operating at a capacity of 162 million gallons (614 million liters) per day — allowing for substantial reductions in total phosphorus and solids loadings to Hamilton Harbour. The project also included a new effluent disinfection facility, new tertiary effluent outfall and modifications to 0.93 miles (1.5 kilometers) of Red Hill Creek, where treated wastewater is discharged, to enhance downstream water flow and protect aquatic ecosystems.

The Phase 1 project also included the construction of a new raw sewage main pumping station to manage increased flows and strengthen flood and wet weather resilience.  The new main pumping station is equipped with 12 pumps to handle up to 450 million gallons of wastewater per day from the two incoming trunk sewers. A new electrical power center with a dual 13.8 kilovolt distribution system was constructed complete with four 3-mega watt diesel generators providing a total of 12 mega watts of standby power.

Over the next decade, the Phase 1 upgrades are projected to reduce phosphorus loadings by 500 metric tonnes, suspended solids by 6,100 metric tonnes and nitrogen by 14,900 metric tonnes — directly contributing to efforts to delist Hamilton Harbour as an Area of Concern.

Together, these improvements are helping to improve water quality in Hamilton Harbour, protect natural habitats and create a healthier, more vibrant waterfront for the community.

Expanding for the future

Building on the success of Phase 1, Jacobs was contracted in 2024 to provide design services for the $300 million (CA$420 million) Phase 2 Expansion, which will further increase treatment capacity, improve operational flexibility and accommodate Hamilton’s growing population.

Key components of the Phase 2 project include:

• Construction of a new secondary treatment plant and major renovations to the North Secondary Treatment Plant.
• Expansion of tertiary treatment and solids management facilities.
• Capacity increase from 108 to 132 million gallons (409 to 500 million liters) per day on average, and 162 to 264 million gallons (614 to 1,000 million liters) per day peak capacity, improving resilience to extreme wet weather events.

The Woodward Avenue WWTP upgrades reflect Jacobs’ commitment to reinventing tomorrow — applying engineering excellence and environmental innovation to protect water resources and enhance quality of life for future generations.