The District of Sechelt has $1.7 million saved for a new sewer treatment plant. They are closely monitoring new developments to make sure the current system holds up until 2009 when approximately $18.7 million will have to be spent on a new treatment plant.Currently, the district creates up to 3,400 cubic metres of wastewater a day and the two treatment plants now servicing Sechelt on Ebbtide Road and Dusty Road can handle up to 4,000 cubic metres a day.However, the district has a licence to discharge only 3,400 cubic metres of treated effluent into Trail Bay. They are currently applying to have that rate increased."We are doing an environmental impact study and then we will approach the ministry to have the limit increased to 4,000 cubic metres," director of engineering Ken Tang said.With over 20 new developments on the books for Sechelt this year, the need for a plant able to handle increased sewage is even more important.Sechelt's growth rate last year was 4.6 per cent. Some of the new developments on tap for Sechelt include huge subdivisions of up to 1,600 units."But not all of those units would be put in at one time. They would be phased in over several years," Tang noted.He also said some of the new developments include their own sewer systems and treatment plants such as the Silverback property."If we can't keep up with the demand, we may have to look at a moratorium on building or have developers put in their own package plants," Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid said.The district plans to replace the two current treatment plants with one new plant; however, its location is still unclear.There is a piece of property down the hill from the current Dusty Road site that would be ideal. That land is owned by Construction Aggregates."We are in negotiations with Construction Aggregates and once they extract the gravel from that site, they may offer it to us," Reid said.The current site is too far up the hill and has caused problems with the sewer's force main in the past. "By moving the plant down the hill, that will be avoided," Tang said.The district is also looking for better ways to deal with the sludge and some of the effluent created in Sechelt."We're very interested in a poplar tree farm initiative," Reid said.The poplar tree farm would use the sludge as fertilizer and some of the effluent to water the trees."We'd like to minimize or eliminate our ocean discharge if possible," Reid noted.The district has been working on a wastewater strategy for Sechelt for nearly 10 years. Realizing the cost of a new treatment plant, council directed staff to save all development cost charges paid to the district in a special wastewater fund.That fund is now up to $1.7 million and the district hopes it will be able to leverage a one-third grant from the province to pay for the new plant in 2009.Tang believes the current system will hold until that time and is constantly assessing its ability to serve Sechelt.
