City seeks solo price tag on combined sewer megaproject

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This article was published 12/10/2023 (743 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A cost estimate for the City of Winnipeg to solely fund a megaproject slated to reduce diluted sewage overflows into rivers by 2045 will likely be revealed next month.

A recently released annual report on combined sewer overflows noted the municipal government would take until 2095 to complete the project, if provincial and federal governments don’t commit funding to support it this year.

That statement was made despite the fact city council previously directed staff to work toward a 2045 provincial deadline.

At Thursday’s water and waste committee meeting, Coun. Brian Mayes raised a successful motion that directs staff to “prepare costing” to meet the earlier target, which would be released at the committee’s Nov. 24 meeting.

“I want to have this debate. What would it cost to go it alone… and get it done by 2045… not half-a-century later?” said Mayes, committee chairman.

The motion would require council approval. It calls for the city to consider a $1.15-billion master plan, despite an estimate the work could cost up to $2.3 billion.

Mayes has repeatedly questioned the maximum tab, noting it includes a massive contingency fund.

Having the City of Winnipeg become the sole funder of the project could lead to significant price increases for water and sewer ratepayers, but council needs to have enough financial detail to make an informed decision on the option, he said.

“There’s a cost to doing it more quickly but let’s at least have an honest debate about that cost.”

Combined sewer overflows occur in older Winnipeg sewers that collect both precipitation and wastewater in a single pipe. Heavy rain or snow events can cause such pipes to overflow.

Last year, the volume of combined sewer overflows surged to an unprecedented high, dumping 27.5-billion litres of diluted sewage into local rivers.

During Thursday’s meeting, water and waste director Tim Shanks said the annual report’s mention of the 2095 completion date was poorly phrased, stressing city staff aren’t actually aiming for that date.

“Certainly, we’re not ignoring a council motion,” said Shanks.

Mayes told reporters he feels staff and council are now “on the same page” to work toward a 2045 deadline, noting staff are already studying the issue.

Meanwhile, the committee also directed the public service to provide an update on city efforts to negotiate a contract that would have Winnipeg become a “raw resource landfill gas supplier” for a 20-year term.

Council voted to seek the contract last year, but has not had a formal update since, said Mayes.

That verbal report is expected Oct. 30.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga