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Use old tanker to process sewage

Has the Capital Regional District ever considered taking the sewage issue offshore — literally? Worldwide now, vessels deemed redundant are being repurposed to alternative uses — usually in sub-sea mining, resource extraction or recovery industries,

Has the Capital Regional District ever considered taking the sewage issue offshore — literally?

Worldwide now, vessels deemed redundant are being repurposed to alternative uses — usually in sub-sea mining, resource extraction or recovery industries, and now even liquefied natural gas plants. So why not a sewage-treatment facility?

A small mothballed tanker could be purchased and towed here and refitted with sewage-treatment equipment. I’m no engineer, but I believe it could be done without too much trouble, and the ship already comes with lots of tanks. Even the sludge could be processed on board. Have the vessel anchored permanently just offshore, and lay all necessary pipes across the seabed. Certainly easy access, and no messy and expensive pipelines to Hartland landfill.

Of course, there will be those to whom the thought of a tanker anywhere near our shores, for whatever purpose, will cause heart palpitations, but it will certainly be better than a sewage-treatment plant at the mouth of our harbour, and frankly, it will just look like a ship riding at anchor. Perfectly natural.

And I’m willing to wager the whole operation would cost a lot less than $775 million.

Ernie Christmas

Victoria