City of Powell River council has approved a $50,000 increase to the liquid waste management plan (LWMP) budget.
The additional money, which will come from prior years’ surplus in the sewer fund, is needed to pay for a number of conditions council required when it chose the phased consolidated treatment option. The option combines co-treatment, a proposal to treat the city’s sewage at Catalyst’s Powell River mill, with a stand-alone consolidated plant to be built in the future.
Richard Stogre, manager of engineering services, presented councillors with a report and a spreadsheet at the August 18 committee-of-the-whole meeting. He reported that there was $89,448 left in the 2011 funding allocated for the LWMP. He estimated that the cost of the contributions totalled $139,448, leaving a shortfall of $50,000.
Council approved the request at the council meeting later the same evening.
Councillors also directed staff at the committee-of-the-whole meeting to invite a representative of GE Water to Powell River to discuss retrofitting the Westview wastewater treatment plant.
Councillors made the motion after a presentation by Wes Bingham, a Powell River resident, who said the city should study the possibility of upgrading the Westview plant. “We can’t just willy-nilly tear down that plant,” he said. “It would be irresponsible.”
