French Creek Pollution Control Centre

Updated on February 26, 2021

French Creek Pollution Control Centre

FCPCC

Wastewater from approximately 28,000 people and businesses in Qualicum Beach, Parksville and the service areas of French Creek, Pacific Shores, Surfside and Barclay Crescent flows to FCPCC. FCPCC also has a septage receiving site that accepts septage from residential onsite (septic) systems and wastewater from pump-and-haul clients.

FCPCC currently provides secondary treatment with trickling filters to remove more than 90% of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS). The RDN is planning an expansion and odour control upgrade project to meet the needs of a growing population and address odours. To learn more about how treatment works and the different types of treatment, visit our How Treatment Works page.

Biosolids, a soil-like material produced during the wastewater treatment process, are used in the RDN's Forest Fertilization Project. To learn more about how biosolids are managed in the RDN, visit our Biosolids Management page.

FCPCC treated 3.6 billion litres of wastewater in 2020. Treated wastewater is discharged into the Strait of Georgia 2,440 m offshore at a depth of 61 m.

Major projects & Improvements:

2024 Expansion and Odour Control Upgrade Project
2009-2011 Upgrade and forcemain twinning at the Lee Road Pump Station
2005 Commissioned fourth digester, increasing plant capacity
1999 Odour control strategy implemented
1994-1997 Doubled FCPCC's capacity, and installed solids contact tank and trickling filter to improve the quality of effluent and biosolids
1977 Built using secondary treatment with activated sludge technology, ending the discharge of raw sewage to the Salish Sea