Biosolids plant expanding

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: August 11, 2009 7:00 PM

Residents are fuming that a sewage biosolids plant is getting bigger.On Monday, Vernon council agreed to upgrade and expand the biosolids composting facility in the Commonage. The plant takes waste from sewer plants in Kelowna and Vernon and turns it into Ogogrow fertilizer.“It’s a disappointment for people in the area,” said Dave Facey, who lives at nearby Kekuli Bay Estates.Residents in that subdivision have complained about foul odours emanating from the facility, and while they believe the upgrade should go ahead, the expansion is unacceptable at this time.“We should see improved work before there is an expansion,” said Facey.

The only council opposition to the project came from Patrick Nicol and Bob Spiers, who are both members of the regional biosolids composting committee. “The two councillors who have been studying the problem are opposed and those with little knowledge are in favour of it,” said Facey. Kelowna will pick up most of the tab for the upgrades and expansion but Vernon will be responsible for $1,971,000.Coun. Mary-Jo O’Keefe backed the expenditure, saying that a considerable amount of biosolids has been diverted to the landfill because the facility can’t cope with all of the material.“We have sourced the funds now and we have ran into problems with a lack of facilities,” she said.

Coun. Jack Gilroy believes construction will address the odour concerns of the nearby residents.“We have seen some progress made on the smell and if we go with the expansion and deal with the overload, we can reduce it further,” said Gilroy, who is a former member of the biosolids committee. “We’re into that facility for $7 million and we need to make it work.”

However, Nicol insists that expansion shouldn’t proceed because testing of the facility and odour issues has only occurred for two-and-a-half months.“They don’t have enough information. I think we hurried this whole thing,” he said. Spiers also defends his decision to vote against a larger plant.“The only reason for the expansion was to allow the Central Okanagan Regional District to become a full partner,” he said, adding that council vetoed CORD’s participation Monday. “We won’t become a dumping ground for other municipalities without our approval.”