RANKIN INLET - It will be at least two more years before the new municipal dump opens for business in Rankin Inlet.

The Rankin Inlet dump is in better shape today than it's been for years and still has plenty of service ahead. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The dump was scheduled to be in operation about three years ago.

Hamlet public works supervisor Arnie Brown said the new site still hasn't been approved for a water licence.

He said that won't happen until the hamlet, in conjunction with the Government of Nunavut (GN), has everything in place for its recovery plan on the old dump.

"The plan has to be completed and submitted to the GN in order to get a water licence," said Brown.

"We can't really do anything with that right now because of the fact it's about $600,000 for the whole program, and I don't think there's money in place for it to start with.

"So, we're trying to use up the whole old dump."

Brown said a big hole exists at the back of the old dump and, if a recovery plan were to be done now, fill material would have to be brought in to make it one-metre higher than it is.

He said that would mean spending a lot of money to cover a hole that could have been filled with household waste.

"The new site has been finished for more than three years, but there's always been hoops to jump through on the project.

"Although we could have been using the new site about three years ago, the decision was made not to because of the recovery plan.

"We'll continue to use the old dump as long as hamlet council directs us to."

Brown said the old dump should be filled within four years.

He said how close to that timeframe things actually go depends on what council decides in the future.

"I would look at the short term of two years for the old dump, rather than the long term of four years.

"As for concern over dump fires, they're seldom caused by the dump itself.

"They're usually caused by people helping the situation along."

Brown said the delay in switching to the new dump is having no negative effects on the community.

He said while the recovery of the old dump can be done in unison with utilizing the new facility, it must be initiated before the new dump can open.

"How long it takes will depend on the wording of the contract, but, obviously, the more trucks you have hauling, the quicker the recovery project can be completed.

"The hamlet may decide to include a completion date in the tender, but that remains to be seen.

"The new facility is about eight kilometres east of the community in the area of the Diane quarry.

"It still hasn't been clarified whether the new site will be dump-and-cover or incineration, but that's not my decision to make."