Photo: KTW file photo

The TNRD awarded a five-year contract for water quality monitoring at six landfills on Thursday.

The Thompson-Nicola Regionals District (TNRD) board of directors has approved a contract for landfill water quality monitoring and engineering services.

The new five-year pact is with Trace Associates for an annual estimated cost of $186,000 a year, to a five-year maximum value of $930,000.

The board approved the contract unanimously at its regular meeting last Thursday.

B.C.’s Ministry of Environment requires environmental water monitoring at four closed and two open TNRD landfills, which this contract will cover.

The monitoring includes water quality sampling, assessment and annual reporting by a qualified professional.

Historically, the TNRD has contracted an environmental consulting firm to conduct this work, with the most recent contract expiring at the end of April.

The scope of monitoring includes reviewing historical data, collecting quarterly field samples, monitoring water tables, conducting laboratory testing and analyzing results to assess potential impacts on local water resources.

To ensure landfills do not degrade water quality, field samples are first taken from an upstream location with known natural conditions. These results are then compared to downstream samples where leachate may mix with groundwater.

To date, the TNRD says no significant negative impact has been observed, or major mitigation measures required, from TNRD landfills.

The regional district received eight bids in response to their request for proposal and Trace Associates scored the highest on the TNRD’s evaluation criteria with 93.3 out of a possible 100 points.

“A contract was successfully negotiated which included price reductions from their original proposal,” a TNRD staff report stated. “The proposed contract costs are accounted for in the board-approved five-year financial plan.”

The contract costs will be covered by the TNRD’s solid waste management service which is funded by all Electoral Areas and municipalities, except Kamloops.

Trace is a Canadian employee-owned professional services firm specializing in environmental science and engineering advisory. The firm was established in 2006 and the TNRD will be serviced by the office located in Kamloops.