Public sewage treatment saves money

Letter to the Editor of the Victoria Times Colonist, 28 November 2007

Why is it that Halifax can build a public sewage treatment system for $400-million (one-third municipally funded) and the CRD considers a $1.2-billion, public-private system?

The population of Greater Halifax was 372,000 in the last census, compared with 330,000 in Greater Victoria. Even if our region chooses better treatment that Halifax’s “advanced primary” system, the proposed price is too high.

A costly P3 (public-private partnership) should be rejected.

Affordable sewage treatment meets the following criteria: (1) Publicly owned, operated, and financed; (2) Resource-recovery to capture heat and energy for transit, residential, and commercial use.

This is the most cost-effective and sustainable sewage treatment option for the CRD – and the best deal for taxpayers.