On Thursday, January 5, 2017, senior staff from the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District and the lead consultant for the Bralorne Sewer System Upgrade, hosted a Community Information Meeting in Bralorne, to update the community on the $1,999,530.00 project to replace Bralorne’s wastewater infrastructure.
The Bralorne Wastewater Collection System Upgrade and Secondary Treatment project will provide sewer servicing to all of Bralorne’s 101 properties this summer.
Here is what’s planned:
An innovative, affordable, passive Treatment Process
The system will require no electricity to operate. The proposed technology is a coconut husk filtration system that is well used in the eastern provinces. (For more information on the Ecoflo Coco Filter: http://www.premiertechaqua.com/e-news-and-events/press/2014/newly-nsf-certified-ecoflo-coco-filter.aspx)
This choice of innovative, passive (electricity-free) technology meets a number of the grant’s requirements. The system's operating costs are expected to be met by the current tax requisition. The quality of treated wastewater this system produces meets the Ministry of Environment and Environment Canada effluent regulations and will put cleaner water into Cadwallader Creek than the current septic tank system does. This system will achieve secondary level treatment.
Design uses road rights of way -- Cost of sump pumps and tie-ins will be covered for each property
All services will be moved onto the Ministry of Transportation road rights-of way.
(For higher-resolution versions of the overview maps above, download the pdf of the Community Meeting Summary and scroll down to pages 3 and 4.)
The steepness of the location and the lots mean that relocation of the infrastructure complicates the design of the system. Some homes will need a small sump pump in their basement.
The cost to install a sump will be covered under this project. Ongoing operations and maintenance of the sump will be the responsibility of the homeowner.
The cost to tie in each lot is being covered by the project. Homes that require additional works other than simply connecting the exiting service to the new main will have those extra expenses paid for, following the approval of an estimate provided by a certified plumber. It’s not yet settled on whether the cost of the works will be reimbursed to homeowners or if the SLRD will pay the plumber directly.
Interruptions in service will be minimal
Other than the interruption in service on the day when a lot is tied into the new system, it is not anticipated that there will be service interruptions extending beyond an hour or two.
However, because the records for the system are so poor, it is conceivable that some existing service pipes may be broken during construction and a brief service interruption may result – affected homeowners will be notified if this happens.
Estimated timeline for completion
The grant was announced February 12, 2016, and the project officially kicked off on May 25, 2016, when the SLRD Board Chair signed the funding agreement securing the money. Design and creation of the construction documents were tendered to TRUE Consulting at the end of July. Detailed design has been ongoing since July.
Construction is expected to be complete by fall 2017, although a contingency allows for possible delay of up to a year, taking into account the impact of extreme weather, debris flows, avalanches, forest fires, or road load restrictions on the short construction window.
Better records up-front will streamline the project
Please help move things forward by returning your marked-up service record card
TRUE Consulting requests that homeowners mark up the service record card that was sent to them with sewage connection information.
It will streamline the design process and the construction of the project, and save money, if you can advise us:
- Where the service currently lies on the property and where it connects to the home.
- What plumbing is currently in your basement for those homes being supplied with a ground level service.
- Any other information (such as a retaining wall or buried oil tank that might impact your service alignment).
Questions?
Any questions or comments about the layout or design of the new system should be directed to TRUE Consulting (250-828-0881/spurves@true.bc.ca)
Any other questions (such as funding, project timing, etc.) should be directed to the SLRD (1-800-298-7753/jnetzel@slrd.bc.ca)