The B.C. government has ordered municipal officials in Greater Victoria to develop a plan for sewage treatment for the region by June 2007.

The Capital Regional District currently dumps billions of litres of untreated sewage into the Pacific Ocean.

Municipal officials have argued that it does no harm to the environment because the tidal action naturally treats and dilutes the waste.

Friday's order by Environment Minister Barry Penner follows the release of a study last week by an independent scientific panel that said dumping raw sewage into the Strait of Juan de Fuca is not sustainable.

About 129 million litres of sewage gets flushed into the ocean each day.

As a result the capital city has come under repeated criticism, locally and internationally.

It's estimated a sewage treatment system could cost as much as $500 million.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a campaign promise during the last election that his government would contribute up to one-third of the costs of a sewage treatment system for Victoria.

In issuing the order, Penner did not say whether the province would make a financial contribution.

However, he did say he wants an progress report from the Capital Regional District on the development of a plan by Dec. 31, 2006,  detailing the options and costs of the project.