It is a project already four years in the making, and, while it could take another five years to complete, residents, business owners and politicians in the North Okanagan are celebrating.
A recent joint grant of $24.3 million from provincial and federal governments has paved the way forward for the North Okanagan Wastewater Recovery Project.
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That includes the construction of a new treatment facility and municipal sewer system, which will serve the east side of Swan Lake, north of Vernon.
On Thursday, a community celebration was held at the Swan Lake RV Resort, where all of the residents are on septic tanks.
“I think it is a win-win for us and the environment,” said Brent Bymoen, a local resident.
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Even though it’s heavily developed, the area doesn’t have a community sewer system.
Instead, homes and businesses have septic systems or holding tanks, which must be pumped out.
The process can be costly, noisy and sometimes smelly.
“Our truck comes twice a day,” Bymoen said. “It is very noisy, because it has a pumping system and it also gives off vapours, so you have to close your windows. It is not pleasant.”
The total cost of the project is $36.9 million.
Earlier this year, property owners in the area approved a plan to borrow $5.2 million for the project.
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The remaining $5.9 million is coming from the Okanagan Water Basin Board.
The project is a partnership between the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO), the Okanagan Indian Band and the Township of Spallumcheen,
Thursday’s celebration highlighted the many benefits the project will bring to the area, including water quality, which can be susceptible to leaking contaminants from aging septic systems.
The project is also said to be a big benefit to local farmers.
“It has huge agricultural benefits. The ability for farmers to be able to irrigate with the reclaimed water,” said Spallumcheen Mayor Christine Fraser.
“For a couple of years there were farms that lost a thousand acres of crops due to lack of water in the area so this is going to be a huge boost for them.”
The project is also expected to boost the local economy, which the RDNO estimates has lost out on at least 50 businesses in the last 15 years.
“It was a definite impediment to having business locate in this area along the corridor. I think this will change that,” said Bob Fleming, a director with the RDNO.
Fleming estimates it could take anywhere from three to five years to complete the project.
“In the initial service area, we have 227 properties and a large percentage of those are commercial enterprises,” he said.
“But we hope to service several hundred more properties that are in the historical residential areas that are on the east slope of the lake.”