Ground broken for North Okanagan wastewater recovery project

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The water reclamation facility will be located within the Township of Spallumcheen.

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A map detailing the site of the new North Okanagan Wastewater Recovery project. (map courtesy of the Township of Spallumcheen)

The groundbreaking ceremony was opened with a blessing from Syilx Elder Virginia Gregoire.

Syilx Elder Virginia Gregoire provided a blessing ahead of the ground breaking ceremony (Liam Verster/ Vernon Matters Staff)

Speaking with Vernon Matters following the ceremony, Spallumcheen Mayor Christine Fraser said the project would create economic benefits in the area.

“Our local businesses that are here, and want to expand, are ready for [the facility]. We have new businesses wanting to come in the area and, on the regional district side, it will provide some low-income housing, some affordable housing, and also help their commercial corridor,” Fraser said.

She added the reclaimed water from the facility will be used on local farmlands.

All together, Fraser said this project has the ability to be an economic driver, adding it would contribute to the township’s agricultural hub plan that aims to have locally grown food produced and packaged locally as well as available for people in the area to access.

The project is also intended to have some environmental benefits.

“Swan Lake has been influenced heavily over the years by failing septic systems, road salts, [and] a number of different things,” Fraser said.

“They’ve had a couple of studies done showing the water quality of the lake has been deteriorating substantially, so [the project] will have a huge impact on that. It’ll help, hopefully, clean up the water quality of Swan Lake as well as provide the reclaimed water to the farm lands here in Spallumcheen.”

Okanagan Indian Band Chief Byron Louis also noted the environmental benefits of this project.

“I think what [it will do] is limit future impacts and I think that’s what’s most important,” Louis told Vernon Matters, adding it will help get properties off septic tank systems.

“At least this will actually take this to a level where you’re looking at the actual recovery of the water, then whatever goes into the ground is actually going to be filtered out and that’s what’s good.”

Chief Louis also stated the new plant is not a treatment plant but a recovery facility, meant to re-mineralize and restore the purity of the water to be safely used in the area and not leech any pollutants into the streams or lake.

For Area B, as well as a few border properties in Area C, the project will provide a sewer hookup and get properties off septic systems. It would also establish a hookup system for new property developments for the areas in the future.

The project is jointly supported by the B.C. and Canadian governments. Together, the senior governments are contributing $33.1 million to the project, which is estimated to cost a grand total of $43 million.

Construction of the new facility is set to begin in spring of 2023 and be completed by the end of 2024.