The village of Bowser has had a sewer system on its wish list for well over a decade. Now, residents can make that a reality.
If they vote to do so.
On Friday, the federal and provincial governments jointly announced a $7.5-million infusion toward the project, one of 144 throughout B.C. to be funded through the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund (CWWF).
The combined CWWF funding of more than $186.6 million includes more than $6 million for Parksville’s water supply and treatment system, and another $332,000 for an expansion of the French Creek Pollution Control Centre.
But the funding for Bowser’s sewer was among the largest grants in the province and could allow the village to realize many of the goals in its Rural Village Plan, said Bill Veenhof, Regional District of Nanaimo chairperson and Area H director (Bowser, Deep Bay and Shaw Hill).
“The money for the Bowser sewer is a game-changer,” Veenhof said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If we don’t get past the referendum on this one, we’re not going to see the money again.”
The federal government will contribute $4,572,487 to the project, with the provincial government kicking in another $3,017.841. According to Friday’s announcement, Bowser residents within the sewer’s service area will be responsible for the remaining $1,554,646.
“We’ll be going to public hearings, fairly quickly,” said Veenhof, adding the meetings would be held in the village. “The people will decide whether this gets to go forward.”
There are still a number of questions in the wake of the funding announcement, not least is the cost of the system to each resident living within the service, and how payment might be structured. Also, the government announcement came with a project start date of Nov. 1, 2017, but Veenhof said nothing can happen until the voters have spoken in a referendum that has not been scheduled.
“I’ve written a letter to RDN staff to put a priority on this work,” he said.
The proposed sewer, Veenhof emphasized, is for properties within the boundaries of the Bowser rural village centre only, and will not cover the outlying areas. Only those within the sewer service area will be required to pay.
“Logically and fairly, it is only these people who get to vote whether or not they want it,” Veenhof said.
Veenhof has already sent out a constituency announcement about the funding, and will continue to share information on upcoming meeting dates, as they are established.