Dawson in court to explain latest on lagoon court order

Officials in Dawson, Yukon, are set to appear in court Tuesday to explain why the town cannot comply with a five-year-old court order to build a sewage treatment facility.

The town of 1,300 has been under pressure along with the Yukon government to build a sewage lagoon since 2003, when a territorial court fined the town $5,000 for dumping raw sewage into the Yukon River.

But plans for a lagoon were scrapped by local residents on March 6 when they voted in a referendum to reject the sole proposed lagoon site on Dome Road.

That vote has put the town at the mercy of the court, which is in Dawson for the hearing, Mayor John Steins told CBC News.

"In stark contrast to past court hearings, when we've arrived with plans to remedy the situation, this court hearing we're coming up empty-handed," Steins said Monday.

"So, you know, let the chips fall where they may."

In voting against the Dome Road site, many Dawsonites accused the government and the town of imposing the site on them. They also argued it was too close to houses and underground drinking water sources.

Steins hopes prosecutors from Environment Canada will give the town more time to build its $17-million treatment facility, as other communities across the country are being given until the year 2040 to comply with national wastewater standards.

"Why doesn't Dawson have that extra 30 years?" he said.

"Of course, others will argue that we've already had our 30 years and we've still done nothing. But we'll see what happens."

Concerned Dawson residents will be allowed to listen in on Tuesday's territorial court proceedings via telephone connection at the local court house.

Yukon government lawyers and engineers on the project are planning to do the same from the territorial courthouse in Whitehorse.