Colwood sewage costs could rise substantially

In explaining sewage treatment options and costs, Westside Solutions and Capital Regional District websites both use the total number of Colwood households (about 10,500) to come up with a cost per household for each option. This is misleading, as only about 3,500 households are currently on sewer.

And the mayor’s letter on Colwood’s website seems to indicate the cost per household will be substantially higher than what is posted by Westside Solutions and the CRD for the two-plant option. This indicates the cost to households on sewer will be much higher, since Colwood endorsed a user-pay model when the previous version of wastewater treatment was approved.

In that version, houses on sewer were going to pay about $1,000 annually. Since the new version of wastewater treatment costs have doubled and Colwood is wanting its own plant (no grant money will be available), households on sewer might pay several thousand per year more for this version of wastewater treatment

The real dilemma in Colwood is that households on septic systems can support and pass the most expensive wastewater treatment process and not pay much or anything for it. The bill will be picked up by current and future households on sewer.

If you are on sewer and living in Colwood, you should let your views be known to the mayor and council on how much you are willing to pay. There is an open house on the subject at Colwood city hall on Feb. 13 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Terry Lim Colwood