Colwood is meeting Wednesday night (July 11) to discuss a sewage treatment agreement that could end up costing the city $1.84 million per year for something that wonB次元官网网址檛 be needed for years to come.
The Capital Regional District is getting closer to building a sewer treatment plant in Esquimalt with a limited capacity.
Each municipality in the region is being asked to buy into the plant and to commit to using a specific portion of the capacity for 20 years, essentially reserving capacity not yet being used and paying for the sewage of tomorrow, today.
B次元官网网址淭he (net) cost of building that has to be divided up amongst everybody in accordance with how much they asked for,B次元官网网址� said Michael Baxter, ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 director of engineering.
B次元官网网址淪o if we ask for a tenth for it, we pay a tenth of the price. If we ask for a fifth of it, we pay a fifth of the price.B次元官网网址�
The problem Colwood has is its projected rate of growth. While other communities require a level of sewage services that likely wonB次元官网网址檛 change much in 20 years, Colwood is expecting to grow exponentially.
But it must buy in now for its anticipated needs over the next 20 years.
Colwood could therefore be facing an immediate cost of $1.84 million per year, mostly for sewage that the community would not yet be using, at least initially.
Baxter said that there are two ways to charge that extra cost: either as a fee on those already connected to sewers, which would cost all sewer users around $1,000 a year extra, or to charge all taxpayers, which could potentially increase property taxes by about $215 on average.
B次元官网网址淭wenty bucks would be something that they would probably still object to if theyB次元官网网址檙e not using the service,B次元官网网址� Baxter said.
B次元官网网址淭hat would give them the ability to connect one day, but when, if the sewer doesnB次元官网网址檛 come anywhere near their house?B次元官网网址�
The province and federal government have agreed to support the project, but the details still have to be revealed by each. CRD chair Geoff Young said that he understands some municipalities might not find the situation ideal, but that the regional district will work with them to try and come up with the best solution.
B次元官网网址淲hen you can foresee that there will be new population itB次元官网网址檚 crazy to build the plant exactly to the size you need today,B次元官网网址� said Young. B次元官网网址淭he one thing I can say for sure is that we will not have a perfect cost allocation system.B次元官网网址�
Langford Coun. Denise Blackwell said her municipality has no concerns with the process and understands that taxpayers will have to front the money in someway in order to bring sewage treatment up to standards and to ensure sewage for future developments.
How that cost will be portioned out in Langford has yet to be determined.
B次元官网网址淲e have to meet those targets right? We have to do it and we have to pay for it,B次元官网网址� Blackwell said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no better time to do it.B次元官网网址�
Colwood council needs to make the final decision on the way to move forward.
This process will being at the Transportation and Public Infrastructure Committee meeting on Wednesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. in city hall (3300 Wishart Road).
Anyone from the public who wants to voice an opinion or idea on the issue is asked to attend.
kwells@goldstreamgazette.com
