About the North Okanagan Wastewater Recovery Project ​

Project Partners

The North Okanagan Wastewater Recovery Project (NOWRP) is the result of a unique partnership by the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO), Township of Spallumcheen and Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB). Currently, this is one of the last developed areas of the Okanagan without a community sewer system.

This project’s goal is to improve water quality in Swan Lake and local streams, support agriculture and to provide economic development opportunities through the implementation of a community sewer system.

The partnership offers four significant benefits:

• It provides an opportunity to turn wastewater into a valuable resource with positive environmental, agricultural, recreational, and economic impacts for all three jurisdictions.
• It ensures ownership, operations, and costing flexibility to meet each jurisdiction’s needs.
• It has strengthened applications for provincial and federal grant funding and has helped secure $33.8M in funding so far.
• It guarantees input from all jurisdictions through the Wastewater Recovery Community Working Group, thereby ensuring diverse community wants and needs continue to be reflected in project outcomes.

Building the community sewer system now is an investment in the future of this region and will bring wastewater treatment to the area at a reasonable cost to both residential and commercial/industrial property owners.

Project Funding

The estimate for the North Okanagan Wastewater Recovery Project is $49.68M. The $49,680,000 total is funded by $24.3 million from the federal and provincial governments through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, $9.5 million from the Province of B.C., $7.5 million from the Okanagan Basin Water Board, $1.5 million from Township reserve funds and $5.2 million from RDNO borrowing approved by electors in 2019. The balance of funds will come from interest gained on the funds.

More than $33.8 million in grant funding has been secured to date, with $24.3M in grant funding received in September 2019 and an additional $9.5M received in June 2023. The project is also eligible for the Sewerage Facilities Assistance grant, 16% of overall project costs, operated by the Okanagan Basin Water Board.

Over the past several years, the North Okanagan Wastewater Recovery Project has faced escalating construction costs. Materials, labour and fuel costs have been impacted by wildfires and flooding, supply chain disruptions and inflation. To cover the increased costs, the project team sought out additional funding to bring an affordable, fiscally responsible community wastewater system to the North Okanagan.

In June 2023, the Regional District of North Okanagan received $9.5 million from the Province of BC to expand community sewer services to sections of electoral areas that rely on septic systems. This additional funding will enable work to resume on the NOWRP.

Some of the options being explored include:

• Seeking additional grant opportunities
• Exploring more partnership opportunities (i.e. with the development industry, municipal partners and more)
• Reviewing options for project phasing
• Looking into alternative cost recovery tools such as DCCs (development cost charges)

Support of the Project

In 2019, the RDNO circulated a petition to seek owner approval to borrow the required funds needed to build the community wastewater system. That petition found:
63% of parcels were in favour.
78% of the value of affected properties were in favour.

Project Delivery

Construction is starting in July 2026 and is anticipated to be complete by early 2028.

Regional District of North Okanagan alternate approval process

The Regional District of North Okanagan used a separate, provincially regulated process called an Alternative Approval Process to seek elector approval for its share of project borrowing, up to $4.8 million. This process applies only to the Regional District’s portion of the project, not the project’s overall cost or funding. This borrowing covers the portion of financing supported by the Okanagan Basin Water Board’s Sewerage Facilities Assistance grant, which is set at 16 per cent of total project cost. That grant doesn’t provide funds up front. Instead, it repays the debt-servicing costs of the borrowing, which is why the Regional District needs to borrow the funds first. This process failed to gain approval: more than 50 electors opposed it, well above the 38 needed to block it. As a result, the Regional District may hold a referendum on the issue. That decision is pending. For details, see the Province of British Columbia’s explanation of the alternative approval process and the Regional District’s project page.

 

Province of British Columbia’s explanation of the alternative approval process.


Regional District’s Project Page

2015

An innovative partnership between the Regional District of North Okanagan, Township of Spallumcheen and Okanagan Indian Band forms and the project Launches.

First water quality assessment finds Swan Lake negatively impacted by failing septic systems.

2016 to 2019

Feasibility Studies completed.

A community petition shows 63 per cent of parcels, representing 78 per cent of assessed value, in support of project.

2020 to 2021

Project set up as a single integrated project delivery (IPD) contract covering both the Township’s and the Regional District’s portions of the work.

Bird-Dawson Joint Venture selected as contractor under the IPD model and Value Engineering Analysis completed.

The value engineering review recommends switching from tertiary to secondary treatment (aerated lagoons with disinfection) to reduce cost. 

2022 to 2023

Integrated delivery contract ends after the approach can’t be delivered within budget.

Project splits into two separate design-bid-build contracts: one for the Township’s portion, one for the Regional District’s portion.

2024 to 2025

Project team works with Ministry of Environment to complete required design work and environmental studies to ensure project will meet Municipal Wastewater Regulation requirements.

Permit issued by Ministry of Environment under the Municipal Wastewater Regulation in December 2025

January to June 2026

Township pre-purchases piping to avoid fluctuating market increases. 

Township awards its contract to Centerfire Contracting Ltd. 

July 6, 2026

Construction begins on the Township’s portion of the project.

July to Dec 2026

Planned works include site grading and pipework with in the Township of Spallumcheen.  

 

Fall 2026

Regional District’s portion of the project to go to tender separately. 

2027

Planned works include completion of the pipework and construction of the reclaimed water storage ponds. 

2028

• System fully operational.