Water Treatment Plant for Falmouth
Construction of a water treatment plant in Falmouth will provide high-quality potable water for residents of the area. The project was announced today by partners in the Canada/Nova Scotia Infrastructure Works Program.
The Municipality of West Hants will undertake the $1.1-million project with the help of more than $475,000 in funding from the federal and provincial governments. The project will generate short-term employment for about 12 people.
The new plant will provide a solution to a long-standing problem of poor-quality discoloured water in the Falmouth area. The new system will pre-treat, clarify and disinfect water from the source before it is delivered to homes and businesses. It will bring this important service up to current water-quality standards and enhance the environmental health of the community.
The announcement was made today by Senator Al Graham, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister responsible for Nova Scotia, on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and provincial Justice Minister Robbie Harrison, on behalf of Ray White, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, the provincial department responsible for administering the agreement. They were joined by Warden Richard Dauphinee of the Municipality of the District of Hants West.
"This project is a excellent example of the intent of the Infrastructure Works agreement," said Senator Graham. "Addressing an urgent core-infrastructure need, and providing a substantial savings to local ratepayers, is what the program is all about."
"Water is the most elementary and vital service that a municipality provides, but it is also a costly one," said Mr. Harrison. "I am extremely pleased that, through the Infrastructure Works partnership, we are able to direct tax dollars from all three levels of government at such an important initiative."
"This is terrific news for the municipality and even better news for Falmouth-area residents," said Warden Dauphinee. "Thanks to this funding approval, we are able to get this project off the ground without further delay."
The success of the Infrastructure Works agreement, originally signed in January 1994, helped persuade governments to sign an amendment in February 1997 topping up the program with a new federal-provincial commitment. The top-up program will see the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia each contribute $14.2 million to upgrade the province's infrastructure. It will be matched or exceeded by local funding.
To date in Nova Scotia, 148 projects have been approved under the top-up program, representing an investment of more than $58 million. About three-quarters of the project funding have been allotted to core sewer, water system and transportation initiatives. Other important community projects have also received assistance.