The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and City of Penticton are extending an existing relationship of shared services and opportunity to include the disposition of some bio-waste materials.
The regional board voted last Thursday to enter an agreement to transport sludge materials from the Okanagan Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant to the City’s Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Okanagan Falls plant removes the solids/sludge and transports them by septic truck to the Penticton plant for dewatering.
“The City’s facility has the capacity to receive the sludge, dewater and compost the solids,” explained engineer Liisa Bloomfield in a release.
The ability to dewater materials was removed during the pre-design of the Okanagan Falls facility to maintain the capital budget. Moving the sludge materials to Penticton is cost-effective for the Regional District and provides revenue for the City of Penticton.
“This is a great example of two peer organizations cooperating for the benefit of both,” said regional board chair Mark Pendergraft.
