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HomeNewsIsland & CoastRegional District of Nanaimo unveils their new liquid waste management plan 

Regional District of Nanaimo unveils their new liquid waste management plan 

The Regional District of Nanaimo is building a plan to improve liquid waste management within the district but says they will need more consultation before they can put the plan into action. 

The proposed plan has several different amendments than the one put forward in 2014. It focuses on capital projects, but senior wastewater manager, Sean Depol, says investments in capital projects will help make sure equipment longevity and improve efficiency.  

“Within the last plan we had over 100 different commitments ranging from capital projects to making sure people are educated on what can be put into a septic system,” Depol said.  

Depol says the new plan will highlight the accomplishments the district has already made over the past 10 years and what is to come in the next plan.   

“We have completed several of the things we have set out to do,” he said. “We are re-examining new things on the horizon. Capital projects are a big chunk of this because they are always evolving, and we need to change with it. 

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“We are also looking into source control and odor control.” 

According to Depol, the district is also looking to explore avenues around watershed protection and conservation.  

He says the district is welcoming feedback from everyone regarding the plan on their website, and they will be trying to incorporate all opinions into the plan.  

“We are highly encouraging residents to give their feedback by the end of June,” he said. “Every single comment we receive will be incorporated into the plan.  

The final report will be provided to the ministry as part of the liquid waste management plan. All feedback will then be made public.” 

Depol says the district is aware these costs are going to be high, but they are taking measures to make sure an increase in taxation is not necessary or negated. 

“There are multiple different sources of funding available such as grants, development cost charges, and reserves collected through taxation,” he said. “For greater Nanaimo, we are looking at borrowing $71 million and have already received $7 million in grants. 

“There will ultimately be more grants coming in which will lessen the tax impact.”  

 It is forecasted that the average household will see an average increase of $27 a year in tax, which means by 2032 the average household can expect to be paying $480. 

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