Repair coming for Greater Victoria sewage treatment plant, CRD says
It cost $775 million to build and took five years to complete. It’s the CRD’s sewage treatment plant, and so far, it’s not functioning as it should.
“One has to wonder what we got for $800 million,” said Hugh Stephens, vice chair of the Mount Work Coalition.
The plant was touted as the CRD’s sewage solution. Instead of pumping treated waste into the ocean, the region’s sewage would be turned into tiny pellets and sent to the Lafarge cement plant in Richmond, to be burned as an alternative to coal.
“Apparently, the anaerobic digester’s not working; the dryer’s not working,” said Stephens.
Right now, the pellets don’t meet Lafarge’s specifications, as they are not the right size, so the CRD had to do something with the biosolids the plant was producing.
“Right now, it’s just being dug in trenches and put into the landfill,” said Stephens.
Neighbours of the facility at Hartland Landfill have concerns about that.
“If there’s anything that goes wrong, Todd Creek is done, Saanich Inlet is done,” said Stephens. “You know, there have been issues in the past with leachate coming out.”
Mike Hicks sits on the CRD board. He admits there are issues with the plant.
“You know, all my life I’ve had engines, outboards,” said Hicks. “I’ve built fishing lodges, and once in a while I just got a lemon and no matter what I did to it, I just couldn’t get it to work. I really hope this isn’t one of those lemons.”
He’s confident that a fix will come, but in the meantime he feels for the people living and visiting the area around Hartland Landfill.
“The poor people of Willis Point are enduring this terrible stench as they do this, and hikers,” said Hicks. “It’s not good and it can only get better.”
The CRD says a fix is on it’s way.
Glenn Harris, senior manager of the CRD’s Environmental Protection Division, describes the issue as a mechanical one.
“We’re simply going to get a sieve in place where we can actually make sure that we can shake through the pellets and get them down to a size that Lafarge, the cement facility, can handle,” Harris said. “That’s a mechanical solution and we have that on order and we expect that to be in place in the next few weeks.”
Because of the project agreement, it won’t cost taxpayers any more money.
“(The contractors who did the work are) obligated and they have the liability to resolve the issues with the plant,” said Harris. “So they have an incentive to fix this as soon as possible.”
The CRD is hoping to have the problem resolved and to begin shipping bio-solids to Richmond this summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
BREAKING London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.