Search is still on for new sani-dump in the Comox Valley

La Rose says if needed a temporary site can be used to help minimize the risk of illegal dumping in ditches. Photo: Lauryn Mackenzie / CHLY 101.7fm

Those planning on using trailers or RVs in the Comox Valley might have to replan where they dump their blackwater and greywater this summer.

At a Courtenay city council meeting on March 13, Kris La Rose, senior manager of water/wastewater services for the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) spoke to council about the increasing need for a new sani-dump system. 

Currently, the closest sani-dump system, where trailer and RV owners can dump their greywater and blackwater into a sanitary sewer system, is in Cumberland. 

But that site is set to close before this summer, as Cumberland council voted to close it after hearing it had been taking on more use than it was designed for.

In the presentation, La Rose explained this has been something that they have been looking into since 2020. A sewage commission for the district spent time looking into some of the challenges of operating a sani-dump system in the area.

“Many RVs are pretty enormous and they're often used and looking to empty their tanks around the same time at the end of busy weeks in the summer or long weekends,” La Rose said. “That can add up to a fair bit of congestion.”

He said early last year, they raised the idea of incentivizing those in the private sector to fill the need to manage a system, but by the end of the year, the commission received unenthusiastic responses from potential sites.

La Rose said one promising location was found at Dove Creek Place.

“So the Dove Creek Place location actually came up and wasn't identified in that original search by municipal staff and it was actually identified by a member of the public last year,” he said.

He said the spot is convenient for people to access from both highways and through Comox and Courtenay.

Some of the due diligence of note for the location would be the impacts on the nearby Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds and neighbouring homes.

He also said if this space is chosen, two different permits could be needed that could impact the timeline for getting the system running.

La Rose said the sewage commission has asked Courtenay city council to have their city staff help the district with due diligence on the location, as well as to support in looking for potential temporary sites if the site is unable to open.

“Temporary sites that can be used to help fill the gap this year and minimize the risk of illegal dumping in our ditches,” he said.

After the presentation, Councillor Will Cole-Hamilton asked La Rose if he had heard that Courtenay city staff did not have the capacity in the short timeline.

La Rose said he has heard from city staff their concerns about their capacity, but he said the committee is willing to do all the heavy lifting on items needed to get the system running.

“So from a capacity perspective, at CVRD, and I think as I mentioned, barring the requirement for two of those potential permits, this type of facility of this type and simplicity could be delivered very, very quickly,” he said. “t's more about the process and the level of due diligence that's required.” 

Councillor Melanie McCollum asked who would be responsible for covering the costs of the discarded waste into the sewer system.

La Rose explained he is unsure as they have not reached that stage in the process yet.

Councillor Wendy Morin commented that there may be concerns with residents who do not want to be taxed for the sewer and water usage of the sani-dump system if they will not be the ones using it.

“I know, Cumberland when they put in the water for cleaning mountain bikes, even though that was through a grant and it doesn't come out of taxpayer funds,” Morin said. “I know a lot of the residents were quite upset that they were paying for the water to wash people's bikes. So there could potentially be you know, that kind of feedback from Courtney residents with with this idea”

Council moved a motion that the city would cooperate with the Comox Valley Regional District on the proposed Dove Creek Place sani-dump as staff capacity allows.

The motion passed unanimously.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.