The City of Kimberley is putting a grant application into the Federal Clean Water and Wastewater Fund for 83 per cent of the $2.6 million cost of planning and engineering a new wastewater treatment system. Should the grant application be successful, the City will fund their 17 per cent portion through Municipal Finance Authority borrowing.
This is merely the first step in the $30 million plus replacement of the wastewater treatment plant, which is in the City’s five year capital plan. Currently, the City is able to remain compliant with Interior Health regulations but that will end.
“We figure, based on IH feedback, that we have a four to five year horizon before we have to have a new plant,” said Mayor Don McCormick. “It’s complicated, it’s big and it needs a lot of engineering. We need to get started.”
The City did apply to the Gas Tax Strategic Priorities Fund for $35.7 million toward construction of a new centralized wastewater treatment plant in 2014, but were not successful.
The current plan is to focus on preparing a strong business case and engineering design for a future construction grant application to be submitted to the next CWWF intake in 2018. This project will include consultation and consideration for a range of different solutions based on phasing and cost; for example decentralized treatment and reuse of treated water for snow-making and golf course irrigation.