Victoria sewage treatment project won't be postponed till 2040
Peninsula Daily News news sources
Print This |
Email This
Recent Headlines
EPA proposes to put old dump near Neah Bay on federal Superfund cleanup list -- 5/21/13 -11:44 AM
FOUR DAYS OF arts and music comes to Port Angeles — buy your tickets now! (And . . . FREE pre-festival show Thursday) -- 5/20/13 -09:47 PM
Hip-hop to Port Angeles: A free warm-up for Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts -- 5/20/13 -09:45 PM
10 to receive Jefferson County Heart of Service award today -- 5/20/13 -09:38 PM
1 killed, 5 hurt in construction zone on U.S. 101 -- 5/20/13 -06:20 PM
The CRD is an amalgamation of Victoria-area local governments that has been charged with developing secondary sewage treatment to end the discharge of raw sewage into the Strait of Juan de Fuca from two outfalls.
Tuesday's vote was held over from a Nov. 14 liquid waste management committee meeting, where nearly 30 public speakers argued for and against the need for regional secondary sewage treatment.
Saanich City Councilor Vic Derman and Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins defended their motions to pursue a low-risk designation under Canadian federal regulations, a move that would extend the deadline for compliance from 2020 to 2040.
"This is not about not treating our sewage, this is about ensuring a better plan," Desjardins said.
Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin spoke for the majority on the committee when he said treatment is overdue and necessary.
"For each household, it's a dollar a day," Fortin said. "Let's put this in perspective. It's a big global cost [to not treat sewage] and we have a responsibility to implement (treatment)."
The project currently includes construction of a wastewater treatment plant at McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt, upgrades to existing sewage pipes and a biosolids energy center.
The project is expected to cost Victoria homeowners approximately $350 annually, beginning in 2014.
The British Columbia and Canadian federal governments will contribute up to $501 million, while any cost overruns will fall on CRD taxpayers.
------------
Daniel Palmer of the Victoria News, a sister newspaper of the Peninsula Daily News, contributed to this report.
Last modified: November 28. 2012 11:01AM
To report a comment, email moderator@peninsuladailynews.com and refer to the article and offending comment, or click here: REPORT ABUSE.
Peninsuladailynews.com comments are subject to the Peninsuladailynews.com User Policy.