City of Powell River Council is pumped about a federal and provincial program that could enhance Powell River’s drinking water delivery system.
At the Thursday, November 6, council meeting, councillors unanimously endorsed a resolution to submit plans for the Haslam Lake feeder system to the Building Canada Fund—Small Communities Fund Program for consideration.
Councillor Jim Palm read the following motion: that the City of Powell River apply to the first intake of the new Building Canada Fund—Small Communities Fund Program, in the drinking water category, to fund the City of Powell River Haslam feeder main replacement, at a total cost of $4,240,000, with the City of Powell River contributing $1,413,334, funded from the water fund reserve account.
“We have heard recently that this fund opportunity was coming forward,” Palm said. “We are already in a good position because of our asset management plan that is in place. We are one of approximately 20 communities in BC that has it completed. Also, our specific plan for the new water main is complete and ready to go.”
Palm said the city may have to do a bit of lobbying in the background, but hopes work can begin this coming summer.
Mayor Dave Formosa said he wanted to assure the public that the city was applying for a grant and it was not guaranteed.
“My councillor is very optimistic but please understand we are one of many applying for grants,” he said. “You are only allowed to apply for one grant under this new program.”
The city has been actively engaged in tracking and inventorying its assets. Formosa said the city was told it had to have its asset management plan ready because that was the prerequisite for grant applications.
“It’s not the case anymore,” Formosa said. “I think the reason is not enough municipalities have them done. We took this on vigorously, professionally and in-house.
“It’s a big deal. We know what’s under the ground, we know what’s above the ground and we know what needs to be fixed first. We have a 30- to 40-year financial plan because of the life of the assets.”
Formosa was surprised by the age of the current assets. “I was terrified when I heard about this because the assets we own are 80 years old under the ground,” he said. “However, we’ve come up with a way of making this a reality and to not put the burden on our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”
Formosa said there has been a commitment to holding the line on capital expenditures in Powell River.
“If we can do things like the library, instead of $10 million, for $5 or $6 million, boy, does that make a difference,” he said. “If we can do the same with sewer, if we can build one for $10 million instead of $25 million, boy, does that make a big difference. We’ll only do that if it make sense and is the logical, right thing to do. Those kinds of manoeuvres that we make on these capital projects make an extreme difference on how these things roll out and cost the community.”
After council unanimously endorsed the motion, Councillor Debbie Dee said she wanted to assure the community that Powell River’s drinking water is safe.
“You may read words, fear mongering, saying drinking water is at risk,” she said. “We are not at risk. We have an $8.5-million state-of-the-art water system that will alert us if anything happens.
“We are applying to put a brand new trunk main in. That will be a $12.5- to $13-million drinking water system that will be state of the art and our drinking water will be second to none.”
