OSOYOOS TIMES-July 15, 2009
By Paul Everest – Osoyoos Times
The chief administrative officer of the Regional District Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) has asked the Town of Osoyoos to put its plans to close the Osoyoos Landfill’s septic ponds to waste from outside town boundaries on hold.
In a letter dated June 30, Bill Newell requested “an extension to allow septic wastes to be received at the Osoyoos Landfill from Regional District residents beyond the September 2, 2009 deadline.”
The previous town council made the decision to only allow septic waste from within town boundaries after the upcoming September deadline primarily because of the smell that comes off the landfill’s septic ponds and affects the visitors at the Osoyoos Desert Centre across the road.
Once the September deadline arrives, people outside the town will have to ship septic waste to Penticton.
Newell made the request for an extension because the RDOS has received numerous complaints from residents and companies which haul septic waste within rural areas A and C about the shipping costs to a landfill in Penticton.
Mark Pendergraft, director for rural Area A, said he’s received a couple dozen complaints about the Town’s plans.
People are concerned about the costs of having to ship waste so far as well as the increased cost of dumping septic waste at the Osoyoos Landfill.
In February, the Town increased the fee for the dumping of liquid waste at the landfill from $10 per tonne to $33.50 per tonne.
Those who have complained, Pendergraft said, have recently pumped their septic systems and have already experienced the increased costs.
In his letter, Newell said the RDOS wants the extension to allow time for a feasibility study of alternatives for septic waste dumping in the area.
At its July 6 meeting, Osoyoos town council passed a motion directing staff to seek clarification from the RDOS about potential completion dates for such a study.
In an interview with the Osoyoos Times on July 10, Newell said part of the study will focus on looking for a site in the southern part of the RDOS that could handle septic waste.
It will also explore various technologies that could be applied to treat such waste.
One site that may be considered through the study is in Oliver.
Newell said the B.C. Environment Ministry gave permission for a site in Oliver to handle waste but the permission has since expired.
The study, he added, would cost $25,000 and the RDOS board is scheduled to look at funding for the study at its July 16 meeting.
The earliest that a new facility to handle septic waste in this area could likely open is 2010 or 2011, Newell said.
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