A letter writer from March 25 indicates that Halifax was able to build a sewage plant because they lack the jurisdictional dysfunction that Victoria possesses. This might make sense except for one thing. Halifax actually needed a treatment system that would improve the effluent going into their harbour. Victoria is a different matter.
With a keen interest in comparison, I recently took it upon myself to tour the newer downtown Halifax advanced primary plant as well the secondary plant in the Bedford Basin. Prior to land-based treatment, Halifax had 90 raw, unscreened outfalls going into a harbour with minimal tides and currents. They had a problem and there was no argument that it required a solution.
Victoria has deep, long outfalls distributing screened and skimmed effluent into a vast and fast, highly oxygenated river of saline. There is also an effective source control program. It’s a very different situation than Halifax.
Will forcing amalgamation and sewage treatment really – in the writer’s words – “create a legacy for efficiency, democracy and environmental improvement”?
Is the protest in Victoria really about NIMBYism and lack of amalgamation, or is it more about trying to stop politicians from committing sewercide?
Dave Ferguson
Saanich