The Capital Regional District is still at least a year from building a sewage resource recovery plant at Hartland Landfill, but area residents are trying to pressure government to explore alternative plans.
The Prospect Lake District Community Association launched a petition in December for the CRD to seek a two year delay from the provincial government. The association expects MLA Lana Popham to table the request in the legislature in February.
Fred Haynes, with the PLDCA, said Prospect Lake and Willis Point residents are concerned that waste materials from an energy recovery plant could be incinerated at Hartand landfill and add air pollution to the area. He also argues that the region hasn’t adequately explored site options. The CRD will need to build twinned 18 km pipes between the planned McLoughlin Point treatment plant and Hartland to transfer biosolid waste.
“We want to take two years to have a independent analysis of the appropriate technology and if there are alternative locations,” Haynes said. “This isn’t about NIMBYism. This is speaking out for the good of the whole region.”
Haynes said if regional sewage treatment goes ahead as planned, Saanich residents will need to discuss what kind of improvements they’d like to see as crews install underground pipes to Hartland.
Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard said the municipality will be building a request list for the CRD of improvements to roads and trails, based on community feedback.
“Roads, traffic and trails, anything transportation will be high on the list,” Leonard said. “Ultimately we will have a list of improvements that will accompany the addition of the (biosolids) plant.”
One facet of regional sewage treatment that will likely begin in 2014 is construction of an underground tank next to Haro Woods in Cadboro Bay.
The 5,000 cubic metre tank would to catch overflows from sewage lines during major rainstorms. Leonard said the site has been surveyed and construction is expected to start in the new year.
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