Big sewage projects could be coming east of Regina

Action on a new sewage treatment plan is urgently needed for east Regina and communities east of the city, councillors are being told.

A major report on the need to deal withsewage or wastewater, as it's often called goes to the city's executive committee today and it says many millions of dollars could be needed to meetthe growing demand.

It says there are already problems with sewer backups on the east side of the city during stormsand they could be expected to get worse ifthe city and surrounding communities continue togrow and nothing is done.

It suggests the city and communities like Pilot Butte, White City and Balgonie should team up.

"Immediate action on pursuing a regional solution is required, or stakeholders may have no choice but to implement permanent local options and the opportunities will be lost," the report says.

Some of the ideas being considered for the east include a regional pipeline to take sewage to Regina (which could cost $70 million to build) or a regional sewage treatment plant (with a capital cost of about $115 million).

That would all be in addition to the new sewage treatment plant being built on the west edge of the city. That project, which has a capital cost of $181 million, is expected to be up and running by December 2016.

The report also deals with water and sewage issues north and west of Regina, with new pipelines raised as a possibility.

The main recommendation coming out of the report is that the city and communities to the east should start planning for such a regional sewage treatment system or pipeline.

Council will vote on the proposal at an upcoming meeting.