The Village of Pemberton will be getting some help paying to upgrade its water system.
Federal and provincial representatives last week announced $355,500 in funding to develop a new and improved water supply for the area.
Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and MP for the Pemberton area, and Joan McIntyre, MLA for West Vancouver-Garibaldi, announced the funding Dec. 20.
"The whole community stands to benefit from this project," said Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy.
"Having a reliable source of drinking water is so important for each of us here. The funding support from the federal and provincial governments will mean we will all see some real improvements to our water supply."
The money, which comes from the Canada-B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, will help resolve quality issues with the village’s existing groundwater.
The plan is to install 320 metres of water main, and add a new sodium hydroxide treatment system to help reduce pH levels, which have caused plumbing problems in many local buildings.
Sturdy explained that they have reached a tripartite agreement between all levels of government, and the Village of Pemberton will be chipping in approximately $177,750.
Funding for the project also hinges on the successful completion of an environmental assessment, but Sturdy says this has already been initiated.
“We have been working hard to lobby for the last year to achieve this outcome,” Sturdy explained. “We’ve been searching for funding partners to help complete our water service issues.”
They began drilling a well before securing funding, and plan to use this new funding to connect the new water source to the system.
"The addition of a new water treatment system means that residents of Pemberton will have a reliable source of clean water," Strahl said in a press release.
"Our government is proud to work in partnership, through the Canada-B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, to build healthy and sustainable communities in British Columbia."
Total funding available through the infrastructure fund, including federal and provincial investment and matching local government contributions, is over $220 million.
The majority of this funding goes to communities of fewer than 250,000 people, with at least 60 per cent assists with "green projects" such as drinking water supply, treatment and distribution needs as well as wastewater and energy efficiency projects.
Sturdy wasn’t sure when the Village of Pemberton will actually receive the funds, but says they will start moving forward with the project as soon as possible.
