The City of Revelstoke is on the hook for another $9.9 million to complete Phase 1 of upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.
Announced Aug. 27, Revelstoke was not one of the recipients of the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Plan that they applied for in August 2018.
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At the time, council agreed to commit $3.6 million towards Phase 1 of the Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade Project and requested that staff apply for a federal grant to cover the other $9.9 million needed. That request was reflected in year 2020 of the Long Term Capital Plans approved by council in March.
CAO Dawn Low said that without this grant Phase 1 of the project will not be completed in 2020.
At the moment the plant is not at capacity, but with new developments coming down the pipes in the next few years the city will need to put together a plan to increase that capacity, she added. It will be a high priority project for the new director of engineering when they are hired.
Low is confident that there will be more grant opportunities going forward and said that city staff will be looking and applying for those opportunities.
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There were 13 projects awarded funds across B.C. including $30.4 million to the City of Powell River for a new, consolidated, wastewater treatment plant and $22 million to the District of Tofino for a new wastewater treatment plant, which were the two largest projects.
According to the report made by city staff to council last summer, the estimated cost of the three phase project is between $31 and $36 million. It has been in the works since the resort was built in 2008.
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Phase 1 would increase the capacity of the plant to treat wastewater and increase the quality of effluent discharged. Phase 2, expected to be needed in 10-20 years, will see nitrogen and phosphorous levels controlled. Phase 3 of the project is intended to meet future permanent and seasonal population demands projected to the year 2040.
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