Happy Valley-Goose Bay flushing over new sewage facility

The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay has finally opened its new wastewater facility to handlesewage.

The treatment plant, which was in the works for nearly 15 years, has been up and running for about two weeks. It cost $23.5 million, with funding from all three levels of government.

Wayne Wall, the town's superintendent of water and sewer, said he's glad the facility is open.

"Now it's a reality, and look what [we've] got. I mean, it's a state-of-the-art facility," he said.

"We've got all the bells and whistles, there's all kinds of labs, it's a nice facility, and I believe everybody here in town should be very happy."

Wall said the days of draining sewage directly into the Churchill River are over.

"I'm sure there's long-term residents here in Happy Valley-Goose Bay who are very happy to see this."

Watch what you flush

Wall said plastics and other materials like diapers, tampons, and Band-Aids shouldn't be flushed, because they will harm the new system.

"We're just asking the public, you know, you've got to just stop flushing these things down the toilet.Put it with garbage waste," he said.

"Please try not to dump stuff like this in the sewer, because it's causingmore problems up town before it gets down to here."