Winnipeg making investments to prevent sewage from going into rivers
As part of the City of Winnipeg’s preliminary balanced budget, the city is proposing investments into preventing sewage from entering the rivers.
In a budget update released on Monday, the city said it is adding $60 million to the six-year capital investment plan into combined sewer overflows (CSO). This brings the total investment to $240 million.
Brian Mayes, the chairperson of the standing policy committee on water and waste, riverbank management and the environment, said Winnipeg is taking a historic step on the CSO problem.
“This is a billion-dollar challenge, and if the provincial or federal governments can match our $15 million annual increase to the $30 million base, we could be done this billion-dollar initiative in 20 years,” he said in a news release.
“I am proud to tell my children that the City is taking real action to reduce the sewage going into our rivers.”
According to the city, about one-third of its sewer systems were built before the 1960s and contain combined sewers, which carry the wastewater flow to the sewage treatment plants during dry weather conditions.
However, the city noted, heavy rainfall or snowmelt creates the potential for basement flooding due to the high volume of land drainage going into the sewer system.
Winnipeg said CSOs are currently needed to protect basements from flooding as they relieve the excess flow to the river, but reducing CSOs would help to protect the health of the rivers and lakes.
The city added that this funding will build on its efforts to protect Lake Winnipeg with upgrades to the North End Sewage Treatment Plant.
Winnipeg’s preliminary 2022 balanced budget also proposes a $3 million investment into water and sewer utility to begin investigating the existing underground water and sewer capacity. Mayor Brian Bowman said this would help with planning future residential and commercial investments.
“Planners and developers will begin to have greater access to the information that will allow them to make much more information at earlier planning stages thereby lowering some of the risks associated with investment,” the mayor said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, Ontario police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
Taylor Swift's new album allegedly 'leaked' on social media and it's causing a frenzy
A Google Drive link allegedly containing 17 tracks that are purportedly from Swift's eagerly awaited "The Tortured Poets Department" album has been making the rounds on the internet in the past day and people are equal parts mad, sad and happy about it.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.
Lack of detention space could force CBSA to release detainees, internal memo warns
The Canada Border Services Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
What does it mean to be 'house poor' and how can you avoid it?
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.