ASCO was selected by Magnetawan First Nation to execute the Water & Wastewater System Upgrades Project for the community. The $40 million project is overseen and funded by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), a federal agency, and designed and administered by Neegan Burnside Ltd, a subsidiary of RJ Burnside Ltd.

The water system upgrades comprise of a new treatment plant, potable water standpipe, raw water intake pipe & screen, and 300 m of watermain for connection into the existing system. The Water Treatment Plant is a 550m2 concrete and masonry building with a post-disaster classification. The treatment process can produce approximately 450,000 L/day and utilizes membrane based Ultra and Nano Filtration Packaged Systems by Veolia for removals and Trojan UV lights for disinfection. The wastewater system upgrades comprise of a pre-packaged Membrane Bio-Reactor system by Newterra complete with pumps, panels, tanks, blowers, compactors and filters. A new prefabricated Sewage Pump Station by Xylem diverts flow from the existing sewage network to the new wastewater plant. 

There are 4 main challenges on this project: a) integrating many pre-selected equipment packages with long-lead times and complex review requirements, b) safe rock blasting around existing structures and excess rock removal due to unforeseen rock seams, c) the site location is within a UNESCO protected biosphere reserve and stringent environmental protection measures are required, and d) very limited space on-site requires intense co-ordination between trades.