volume 1 - Halifax Regional Municipality

Halifax Water Integrated Resource Plan
Integrated Resource Plan Drivers and Objectives
on the concept of replacing of assets once they reach their service life and was applied
uniformly to virtually all assets other than unique facilities such as dams. Dams and
some other unique facilities such as water storage were evaluated on a case-by-case
basis and appropriate replacement decisions made. This approach is further discussed in
Section 5 and in Volume 3 Appendix E.
The Enhanced Asset Renewal Program presented in the IRP, satisfied the immediate
need for a systematic approach used to estimate future asset renewal capital
requirements. It is not a substitute for the AMA program. It will however provide shortterm
direction until the AMA implementation is sufficiently advanced.
4.5.3 Growth Challenges, Opportunities and Risks
In the period to 2046, the residential population of Greater Halifax is expected to grow
by over 150,000 persons with a proportionate increase in employment.
The baseline or medium growth scenario prepared by HRM Planning was used to assess
future servicing requirements for the water and wastewater systems. Based on current
practice, it was assumed that extensions to the stormwater system would be managed
as part of the local development process. The major growth related risk therefore was
the uncertainty associated with the level of growth. This in turn influences capital
expansion requirements and timing for both the water and wastewater systems. In
general, there was a belief on the part of HRM Planning staff that the baseline (medium)
projection was reasonable with uncertainty increasing somewhat in the later period of
the 30-year forecast. In order to address the uncertainty, the sensitivity of the shortlisted
alternative resource plans to higher and lower growth rates was evaluated.
4.5.4 Other Challenges, Opportunities and Risks
In addition to the above driver specific challenges, opportunities and risks there are a
number of particularly risks that should be considered in IRP implementation. They include:
• The IRP recommendations may change moving forward as a result of more
extensive studies and knowledge and as noted in Section 1, an adaptive
management approach is the prudent path forward.
• The scope and cost of the recommended plan may grow once more studies are
done. For example, the review of climate change impacts and the potential need to
identify and implement adaptation strategies could have significant cost
implications for the water and wastewater systems. Likewise, the stormwater
quality study may identify additional improvements not currently included.
• Subsequent financial studies may reveal that the plan as laid out in the IRP may
exceed affordability thresholds and if supplemental funding sources can’t be found,
more extended implementation schedules and/or reduced LOS might have to be
considered.
Revision: 2012-10-29 Integrated Resource Plan 46
October 31 2012 Page 79 of 272