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Colwood is on the right sewage path

I was pleased by the friendly atmosphere at the Colwood tertiary treatment open house. It was a refreshing approach where people were asked their opinions.

I was pleased by the friendly atmosphere at the Colwood tertiary treatment open house. It was a refreshing approach where people were asked their opinions.

The illustrations showed an underground treatment facility with parking, shops and housing above. After treatment, the water is drinkable and will be dispersed into the surrounding playing fields and park below. None of Colwood’s treated water will be piped back into Juan de Fuca Strait.

Victoria’s Seaterra partners should be listening. The World Health Organization has recently warned that we should be finding ways to reduce the chance of spreading resistant strains of bacteria. “Superbugs” have been found in secondary sewage.

Colwood has asked the Capital Regional District’s permission to look into developing a less-expensive tertiary system that better suits its needs than the single-model Seaterra secondary plant. It must also receive permission from the province. One stipulation is that Colwood must build an expensive pipeline all the way back into Victoria in case the Colwood plant should fail. Yet, there have been more failures in secondary sewage systems.

At least, Colwood is trying to reduce the environmental damage by not building extensive pipelines to Hartland Road, losing heat and adding to climate change. It is examining a system of linked, distributed tertiary plants that are more environmentally friendly.

Colwood is listening: The CRD Seaterra group is not.

Art Bickerton

Saanich