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
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.