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Latest technologies could provide new sewage plan

Re: “CRD politicians reject call to delay sewage project,” Aug. 15. What sewage plan? McLoughlin Point has not been rezoned, and Hartland might have to be imposed under legal challenge.

Re: “CRD politicians reject call to delay sewage project,” Aug. 15.

What sewage plan? McLoughlin Point has not been rezoned, and Hartland might have to be imposed under legal challenge. The Capital Regional District website is a jumble of reports that don’t jibe, because they were filed by various consultants at different times using disparate assumptions.

The $782 million is the grin on the Cheshire Cat — there is little substance, but it lingers after one variant and then another has left the room.

An alternative to “the plan” is a distributed or decentralized system. The board claims it considered this option and rejected it as “too expensive.” Almost five years ago, the staff did consider building 11 separate units, and they concluded that the cost might be as much as $2 billion. However, the technology was the same old one now contemplated, and costs were swollen by more land purchases and reduced economies of scale.

An abundance of companies boast modern “immobilized cell-reactor technology” and believe they can build a system for less than $782 million. The advantages would include: smaller building footprints, low energy usage, minimal sludge residuals, allowance for growth by adding modules, sequential construction and earthquake protection by dispersal.

As director Vic Derman suggests, first there should be an audit. If “the plan” is proved faulty, we could stage a sort of engineering buskers festival for companies to demonstrate their systems. Professionals would select a winner, but the public would vote, too. We have all gained competence from this experience.

David Bodenberg

Victoria