The District of Sparwood is letting residents have their say in the potential borrowing of up to $20 million for an overhaul of the wastewater treatment plant.
Sparwood is getting feedback from the public through an Alternative Approval Process (APP) rather than a referendum.
“With the AAP, if more than 10 per cent respond to it, then we will automatically be required to go to a referendum. If under 10 per cent of the electorate signs the AAP, we won’t have to go to a referendum, and we can go straight to borrowing,” said Mayor David Wilks.
“It’s a dual process, and it’s just to have checks and balances with the electorate.”
Wilks says an AAP can be a faster and cheaper way to get public opinion on a project.
“If 10 per cent of the population signs the AAP and it fails, we need to do the referendum within a certain period of time because of the wastewater treatment plant,” said Wilks.
“A referendum costs us anywhere between $30,000 to $40,000 to do, but if that’s the will of the people, then so be it.”
The proposed project will involve upgrades to the plant’s treatment process, including its oxidation ditch, sequence batch reactors and dewatering components to keep up with increased demand.
Wilks says the current facility is showing its age, leading to increasing maintenance costs for the District.
“The existing wastewater treatment plant we have now was built in 1967, and it is reaching its end-of-life. When it was built, it was a one-of-a-kind, so all of the parts we need have to be machined,” said Wilks.
“The province is telling communities they must have a redundant system. We can’t put in a second airation ditch because we don’t have the room and it would cost us a significant amount of money.”
Wilks says the local government is planning to introduce a different method of treating the community’s wastewater.
“We have gone to a different system, similar to what Golden, B.C. has,” said Wilks.
“Once built, it will provide capacity for Sparwood for the better part of 70 to 100 years.”
The process will include UV lights to sterilize wastewater moving through the facility.
The Manager of Corporate Services must receive signed Electoral Response Forms by 4 p.m. on June 5, 2025.
You can mail or drop off forms to the District office, email them to mrawles@sparwood.ca or fax them to 250-425-7277.
You can pick up an AAP Electoral Response Form at the District office.
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