From rain to drain, you may not think about it, but rainwater has a long way to go.
Back in the 1920s, municipalities across B.C. thought single-pipe systems were best, combining both sewer waste and rainwater.
Fast forward a few years and add in ageing pipes, it’s a real problem in Oak Bay.
“This is quite a severe system because of course, all water that falls, basically goes into the sewer system,” said Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch.
“And the system just isn’t designed to deal with that kind of capacity.”
With heavy rainfall, Oak Bay’s pipes – which also helps drain Saanich and the Uplands – overflows.
The default setting brings the wastewater into the ocean.
The wastewater discharge is released in underground pipes a fair ways from shore — not through the visible drains, you may see on the beach – however, as a precaution, beaches are closed until the water is tested for contamination.
“Well, it actually makes you feel kind of queasy,” said one Oak Bay resident.
“Definitely it’s not good, it needs to be fixed,” said a couple.
“Why would we pollute our environment?” another rhetorically asked.
It’s something that happens often in Oak Bay, and four years ago, the municipality made changing it a top priority.
“I think this is the single area we can have the most impact on the environment, is actually getting that sewage separation project completed,” said Murdoch.
Instead of one ageing pipe for two types of water, the plan is to put in two separate pipes for the two types of water to prevent overflowing.
Oak Bay raised taxes around 8 per cent for residents to get this done, and the municipality now has $6-7 million in the bank for the upgrade, but they’re still waiting on federal and provincial funding for the green light.
“We’re trying to get it done in the next few years, but we do need some financial assistance to get that done,” said Murdoch.
The province has ordered that the ageing single pipe systems across the province, be remediated within 50 years, but Oak Bay is trying to get it done in the next few years.
The problem is the longer they wait, the more the price tag increases.
Kori Sidaway
