Capital Regional District directors meet once again Wednesday to discuss salvaging the regionB次元官网网址檚 $788-million secondary sewage treatment project, but the B次元官网网址渇orced hiatusB次元官网网址� provides a window for new ideas, said Saanich Coun. Vic Derman.
Derman, who also sits as a director on the CRDB次元官网网址檚 core area liquid waste management committee, intends to put forward a notice of motion next week to ask for an overview of the latest technology and the feasibility of a distributed treatment model.
B次元官网网址淚t might be appropriate to have an investigation led by a retired deputy minister or someone of similar status,B次元官网网址� Derman said. The process wouldnB次元官网网址檛 need the time and expense of a full-scale Request for Proposals, but could still inform directors on B次元官网网址渨hatB次元官网网址檚 out there,B次元官网网址� Derman said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not going anywhere right now, and thatB次元官网网址檚 pretty obvious,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been an attempt to resuscitate the old project, and for lack of a better term, buy off Esquimalt. I donB次元官网网址檛 think that will be successful."
Only two smaller projects, the Craigflower pump station and a $760,000 design of an attenuation tank at Arbutus Road, are continuing as planned while the Seaterra program awaits direction on a way forward from CRD directors.
During that wait, Derman said directors need a B次元官网网址渟oundingB次元官网网址� of available sewage treatment technology to ensure theyB次元官网网址檙e building the best plants for the right price.
B次元官网网址淲e need an independent examination of the technology out there, the potential for architecture, what are examples elsewhere, and get enough information to figure out whether a distributed model is worth pursuing further or whether we stick with the direction we went, but without McLoughlin Point.,B次元官网网址� he said.
Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins is already involved in that process. Staff from West Shore communities, Esquimalt and the City of Victoria are currently working on terms of reference to move ahead on a distributed model study under the umbrella of the CRD, she said. The team had hoped to present those terms at WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 meeting, but more work needs to be done.
B次元官网网址淥ur technical staff believe we may be able to provide sewage treatment that not only meets regulatory standards and guidelines, but beats them by standard and by cost,B次元官网网址� Desjardins said.
The CRD is required by federal legislation to treat its sewage to a secondary or greater level by 2020, and the province has set a wastewater treatment deadline of 2018.
An extension to that provincial deadline will likely be necessary if the CRD can come up with a viable alternative to the current plan. Even with the current project, an extension will likely be needed to find an alternative site to McLoughlin Point.
B次元官网网址淲e have five of seven affected municipalities working on a new way forward,B次元官网网址� Desjardins said. B次元官网网址淲e need Saanich and Oak Bay to come on-side, because we donB次元官网网址檛 want them to get left behind.B次元官网网址�
Regardless of the outcome, the Seaterra program that included McLoughlin Point as a wastewater site is now effectively dead, she said.
B次元官网网址淭he sooner everyone understands that, the better off weB次元官网网址檒l be coming up with solutions,B次元官网网址� Desjardins said.
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