The deadline for sewer system hook-up in two North Saanich neighbourhoods has been pushed back many months.

Originally, residents in the Deep Cove/Pat Bay service area were required to connect to the system by October 31, 2008, while homes in the McDonald Park/Marina Way area were to have their sewer connection completed by July 31, 2008. While there are exemptions permitted for those with certain types of onsite systems. There was no policy in place to force those who had not complied to hook-up.

Now, North Saanich council has decided to extend the deadline for both groups, to May 1, 2009.

“I’ll reluctantly support this,” said councillor Bob Shaw. “I’m disappointed that many residents have procrastinated; it’s unfair to those that were timely.”

Twelve per cent of properties in the Deep Cove/Pat Bay area and 17 per cent of those in the McDonald Park/Marina Way area have not yet applied for hook-up to the system. In terms of actual lots, that means that, in Deep Cove/Pat Bay, 210 hook-ups have been completed, five properties are considered exempt, 87 hook-ups are in progress, and 41 have not yet applied. In McDonald Park/Marina Way, 98 are completed, none exempt, 12 in progress, and 22 have not applied.

Those that are ‘in progress’ have taken out a permit for the work but not yet completed it. With the change in date, district staff would send a letter to all the properties that have not yet taken out a permit and establish phone or in-person contact in order to determine why the property was not yet hooked up.

“I appreciate that we’re in the wet season and there are still constraints on getting a contractor,” said Shaw, of those who were not finished or had not yet started. He went on to say, however, that he hoped that the May 1 deadline would have some encouragements for hooking up. He suggested that the district consider not paying for the pumps of residents who hooked up after May 1. Currently, residents who require a pump to get their sewage to flow into the trunk-line have the approximately $2,000 cost covered by the district. Not all residents, however, require that piece of equipment.

“That would be one way of encouraging people,” Shaw said, adding that it would help with budgeting as no pumps would need to be paid for after the district’s budget process was finished for the year.

Other councillors agreed with Shaw. “My concern is that we have no non-compliance policy,” said councillor Cairine Green. “There’s no consequences; I agree, it’s disappointing.”

Councillors Peter Chandler and Sheilah Fea also said they would be interesting in having some sort of enforcement measure or action from the district upon non-compliance as of next May.

The motion to extend the deadline for hook-up passed, and council also asked for a staff report on possible future measures in the case of non-compliance.

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