By BOB GRYLLS
Whitewater News
COBDEN — The Cobden Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) requires much-needed upgrades. Currently, it is operating at 15 percent over-capacity and has been for some years – without a major incident. It is serving 432 residences. The upgrades are anticipated to handle around 1,400 residences, enough capacity to help with additional housing starts and to attract industry to the area for the foreseeable future.
The meeting was co-ordinated by Steve Hobson, Environmental Services Manager in the lobby of the township office. There were prints of the three main proposals, projected costs of each, and various notes of explanation all laid out on user-friendly easels. This was the second viewing for the public. December 21 will be the last opportunity to make comments on the options. Mayor Hal Johnson and Councillors Charlene Jackson and Dave Mackay attended the open-house style of meeting.
“There were about six interested parties, more than the first time though,” Mr. Hodson said.
Those in attendance were intent on hearing about the upgrades being proposed. Engineer Ed Schultz of JP2G also attended the meeting to field any technical questions that arose.
The project, whatever option is chosen, will cost around $9 million, split evenly between the three levels of government. However, if the upgrades are not completed by April 2020, the federal and provincial grants disappear.
One option on the table is to do nothing, which is not being taken seriously. Other more viable options would be a major upgrade to the WWTP and adding tertiary treatment processes.
A second option is with the major upgrade to the WWTP, adding the tertiary treatment process and also new mechanical treatment systems. This option also allows for expandable capacity by adding additional modules.
A third option is one with an upgraded WWTP along with a new aerated lagoon treatment system.
Considering the technical aspect, along with the natural, social and economic environments, the second option ranks well ahead. However, it is the costliest, considerably more than option one. The third option would mean expanding the property needed for the WWTP into the wetlands. This would require more certification and an investigation by the Ministry of Natural Resources and possibly other groups which might delay the project by maybe another year, time that would challenge the completion by 2020 and possibly forfeiting of government’s funding.
There are difficult decisions ahead for the council in deciding which proposal to favour.
“This project is like playing a game of chess, where you have to think three moves ahead but not knowing what the outcome will be once you are there,” Mayor Johnson said.
