Dysart et al is pursuing funding for a new septage treatment facility at its Haliburton landfill site.
Clearford ASI vice president of engineering John Levie presented to council May 26 about the completion of phase four of the municipal class environmental assessment process. The wastewater management company recommended a new facility with a dewatering system to deal with municipal septage, with an estimated capital cost of $2 million to $2.5 million and an annual operating cost of approximately $130,000.
Mayor Andrea Roberts said the assessment process went well and the landfill was an ideal location compared to explored alternatives.
“We’ve been at this for Dysart for a long time now,” Roberts said. “Using the location of the Haliburton Landfill off Industrial Park Road, that’s where large trucks are meant to be.”
Dysart et al has undergone a class environmental assessment process since 2017 to explore alternatives to land application for septage, due to difficulty acquiring sites and provincial government changes. The municipality has now completed its Environmental Study Report and can proceed with searching for grant funding.
In his report, Levie said he found constructing a new treatment facility to be better than alternatives such as continuing use of spreading fields, hauling to outside municipalities, or retrofitting the Haliburton Wastewater Treatment Plant. Levie said a new plant would address municipal septage issues and provide a “reliable, long-term solution.”
Roberts noted there would be some revenue with charges on pumpers to help offset the operating costs.
Coun. John Smith said the federal government could be making money available in the coming months.
“I’d like to see us pursue the next stage of this in terms of the feasibility study and opportunities to secure a grant,” Smith said. “This could be a project that’s sort of ready to go and would provide a service we badly need.”
There is no definite timeline to build the facility yet and the environmental assessment must still be accepted by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
Council unanimously passed a resolution to direct staff to pursue funding opportunities to construct the new facility.
