$665,000 Committed for Water Infrastructure in the District of Lewisporte

Drinking water remains one of the key priority areas for Provincial Government infrastructure funding, with $665,000 being invested in the communities of Port Albert and Stoneville for water system upgrades. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Wade Verge, MHA for Lewisporte, Vincent Hodder, Chairperson of Stoneville and Winnie King, Chairperson of Port Albert.

“This investment of $665,000 will aid both communities significantly in the provision of drinking water,” said Minister O’Brien. “Upon completion, these water infrastructure projects will bring an end to costly repairs on the existing systems and they will help ensure a future of reliable and secure access to water for residents.”

Funding for these projects is cost-shared with the Provincial Government providing 90 per cent and the communities of Stoneville and Port Albert covering the remaining ten per cent respectively.

“The construction of this new infrastructure will provide the people of Stoneville and Port Albert with first-class water systems,” said MHA Verge. “Having a reliable source of water will be beneficial to both communities and these facilities will serve them long into the future.”

In Stoneville, $324,000 will be used to build a new pump house and provide a new chlorination system for the community.

“This is great news for the people of Stoneville as we have been running on one pump instead of two for some time,” said Mr. Hodder. “Having a new chlorination system will ensure the ongoing availability of safe, clean drinking water which will have a positive impact on the community.”

In Port Albert, $341,000 will replace existing piping with larger diameter water pipes which will contribute to safer and more reliable drinking water.

“The people of Port Albert have been dealing with intermittent contamination issues and poor water quality,” said Ms. King. “This upgrade for our water system will alleviate these issues and provide residents with a clean and reliable source of water”.

Budget 2013: A Sound Plan, A Secure Future includes funding for the second year of a $130 million municipal capital works program. This investment is funding important infrastructure projects for towns and cities, and is delivering better services for families in areas such as water and waste water, recreation, road repair, and fire services, across the province.

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2013 08 08                                                           3:45 p.m.