Aldergrove sewer line moves one step closer
By Natasha Jones
Times Reporter
Aug 08 2007
An extension of the municipal sewer line from Murrayville to Aldergrove moved forward on July 23, when Township council voted to formally ask the GVRD for permission to connect to its system.
Sewage from Aldergrove and Gloucester Industrial Estates has been piped to Abbotsford’s JAMES plant for the past 10 years but this service is now being stretched to capacity by burgeoning growth in both Langley and Abbotsford.
The problem has been exacerbated by rainwater entering the old pipes during extremely wet periods.
There are also considerable costs involved in planned upgrades to the JAMES system, and financing these costs are considered by Langley to be greater than connecting East Langley to the GVRD system.
Council also instructed municipal staff to work with the GVRD and Langley City to draft a memorandum of understanding to upgrade the North Nicomekl trunk sewer.
The North Nicomekl trunk sewer line, a section of the GVRD’s sewer system, is located near the Nicomekl River in Langley City and will require an immediate upgrade to accommodate flows from east Langley, Brad Badelt wrote in a report to council.
Badelt, the Township’s manager of water resources and environment, said the upgrade is required to accommodate flows from Aldergrove.
While the GVRD sees no major obstacles for the connection, its plan for the upgrade is further in the future than the Township’s need, he wrote. In order to meet the desired timeline, the Township will have to take responsibility for the design, construction and project management of the $6.7 million work. The GVRD will reimburse the Township.
That sum is over and above the estimated $17.4 million to $21 million to connect Aldergrove to the GVRD sewage collection system.
The most easterly sewage connection point is on Fraser Highway at 232 Street.
Badelt’s report also notes that the connection from 232 Street to Aldergrove could provide sewer service opportunities to central Langley.
Asked if this could includes land over the Hopington aquifer, where subdividing has been all but ruled out since 1995, Badelt said, “Generally speaking, yes.”
He added that the sewer line will likely follow Fraser Highway “which would provide a closer tie in for the Hopington neighbourhood.”
Citing concerns about the quality and quantity of water in the aquifer, Township council imposed a moratorium on new developments over the aquifer in 1995.
The Hopington aquifer stretches roughly from just south of Fraser Highway at 34 Avenue, north to 72 Avenue, and from 232 Street to 264 Street.
The Schatcer Team - Langley Real Estate