The Regional District of Central Kootenay is looking at decommissioning the HB mine tailings dam near Salmo.
Resource recovery manager Mike Morrison says it would cost up to $3.5 million.
But they think it would save money in the long run.
Design work will take all of 2017 and construction could begin the following year.
The regional district bought the tailings dam for landfill purposes in 1998.
In 2012 a portion failed.
