City council gallery members received a briefing on biosolids during the awarding of a disposal contract.
At its Nov. 25 meeting, council voted in support of a staff recommendation to award SCV Waste Solutions a five year contract for biosolids collection and disposal, from Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2029. Also approved was an option to extend the contract for an additional two years.
SCV is the current provider, and was one of two companies to respond to a city-issued request for quotations. SCV's bid for a five-year quote came it at $229,565, and $330,683 for seven years. The five-year quote from the second respondent was $791,017, and $1,141,643 for seven years.
City engineering and public works director noted SCV's pricing for 2025 represents a 43 per cent increase over the cost of the current service.
"However, there is no other alternative to this," said Niewenhuizen. "We still need to move that material to the landfill."
Niewenhuizen explained the provided quotes were for 183 collections per year and included the rental of a 30 cubic-yard water-tight disposal bin, collection and disposal fees (but not tipping fees, which are paid by the city to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District).
Mayor Alan Harrison noted the difference in the bids per collection load amounted to $232 versus $814. He then proceeded to share a story about students who visited city hall.
"The last time the students came here a little boy put up his hand and he said, what happens to the poop?" said Harrison. "So now we know what happens, it actually goes to the landfill. I want to be able to answer him even fuller next time. So when the poop gets to the landfill, what happens?"
Niewenhuizen explained the biosolids are currently deposited in the landfill.
"Previously, they were used to create a biocover for the capping of the previous landfill, and I suspect when that need comes up again, they will probably entertain that," said Niewenhuizen, noting about 1,000 tons of biosolids come from the city's water pollution control centre per year.
"Which is about two-million pounds of poop if you want to call it that," laughed Niewenhuizen. "But there’s a lot of water in that. It does go through a centrifuge and it’s probably still 70 per cent water. But currently it is landfilled."
