Re: “Langford residents concerned about hefty sewage bill” (Gazette, May 30)
I’m sure you’ve gotten some feedback on last week’s sewage story and while the City of Langford’s costs do certainly add up, you’ve neglected to factor in several important considerations pertaining to costs. In the current overheated building market, contractors willing and able to do this work are going to be hard to find, and if you are lucky enough to find a reputable outfit willing to do your sewer hookup, the competition from thousands of other households seeking the same services during the same time frame will be fierce, driving costs even higher.
We’ve resided in Langford since 1990, hooking up to sewer in 2007. But it wasn’t an easy or cheap process because of the distance our house is from the road and the considerable rock blasting that was required to achieve proper grade (1.5 to two per cent).
That said, we still have a dog in this fight because my mother-in-law’s property will need to be connected within the prescribed time frame (as well as her neighbours on the private cul-de-sac). But interestingly enough, during a recent inspection of her septic system by a local environmental services company, the technician was very honest in his assement of Langford’s predicament, way too many households being forced to connect in a short period of time, without enough contractors available for everyone.
I suspect the City of Langford is in for a rude awakening when voters begin to understand the true costs and challenges of this sewage dictate.
John Reid
Langford