🚧 Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade in Progress — We Need Your Help! 💧
In 1993, the Town of Port McNeill took a major step toward protecting our environment by constructing a wastewater treatment plant. At the time, we were one of the first municipalities on Vancouver Island to install a modern facility designed to treat wastewater before it entered our oceans — an important move for both environmental and public safety.
Over the past 30+ years, this facility has served our community well — but like all infrastructure, it’s now showing its age.
In April 2025, the Town began Phase 1 of a major upgrade project. Working with qualified contractors, our Public Works team is:
- Tearing down and inspecting aging components
- Deep-cleaning tanks
- Repairing damaged infrastructure
- Installing new equipment
This $500,000 project is essential to keeping our plant operational and compliant with environmental standards.
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🚨 What We’ve Found So Far…
During the cleaning of just the first tank, crews removed approximately 55 cubic yards of solid waste — that’s the equivalent of six full gravel truck loads of debris. This material included items that should never enter the wastewater system.
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🚫 What Shouldn’t Go Down the Drain or Toilet:
- Feminine hygiene products
- Flushable wipes (they don’t break down!)
- Excess solids and debris of any kind
- Prescription or over-the-counter medication
- Fats, oils, and grease (FOG)
- Paints, or solvents
These items clog our system, damage equipment, and contribute to costly repairs and downtime.
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✅ How You Can Help:
- Wipes go in the trash, not the toilet.
- Cool and collect cooking grease, don’t pour it down the sink.
- Use drop-off sites for hazardous waste and unused medication.
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💧 Keep Our System Flowing — Protect Our Waterways
Let’s work together to avoid backups, costly repairs, and environmental damage.