Liquid waste management plan gets fluid with sizable grant
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The City has secured a key piece in the puzzle of the foundation for handling the disposal and treatment of liquid waste in Nelson.
A Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) grant of $395,000 has been awarded to the City under the Strategic Priorities Fund, money that filters through the Government of Canada’s Canada Community Building Fund.
The sizable sum will be used to bring liquid waste management up to date — ensuring the proper handling, treatment and disposal of liquid waste in the city — with the development of a Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) for Nelson.
The plan has long been a much needed part of the process for overhauling the handling and treatment of liquid waste in Nelson, said mayor Janice Morrison in a statement.
“This grant will allow us to proceed with the important planning stage of upgrading of our aging wastewater treatment system,” she said. “This detailed planning is critical as these are multi-million dollar projects.”
A Strategic Wastewater Plan was brought forward in January 2023 with the primary recommendation to complete an LWMP as the first step in upgrading aging infrastructure, including the wastewater treatment plant.
What is an LWMP?
An LWMP is a process by which all the issues related to liquid waste for a community are identified and used to develop a community-specific solution.
The LWMP process includes an extensive consultation process, with inputs from government agencies, members of the public, Indigenous communities and interest groups.
The plan will help identify and address new environmental requirements associated with liquid waste while ensuring that the city’s infrastructure is adequately equipped to handle the volume of liquid waste generated by households and commercial businesses.
Source: City of Nelson
Moving forward
“The City of Nelson is committed to protecting the environment and public health through responsible and sustainable management of liquid waste,” noted a press release from the City on the LWMP.
“The development of this plan is a critical investment in the future of our community,” said Morrison.
The City has hired Urban Systems to develop a comprehensive LWMP that will benefit the community for years to come. It is expected the plan will be finalized by the end of 2026.
