The findings of a report on the water and sewer systems at the Bruce Energy Centre Industrial Park have been released.
Council and the industrial stakeholders want to develop what they believe is the best option for who should operate the systems.
Non-potable water is currently provided through a Bruce Power-owned watermain from Lake Huron. A potable watermain was installed at the industrial park but has never been used.
At least fifty thousand dollars in repairs are required for the sewer line that connects the Energy Centre to the lake by Bruce Power.
The sewage system currently operates below capacity. Private wells provide potable water to the industries at the centre, including the Steelback Brewery.
The Bruce Energy Centre Water Tower needs upgrades and that could cost 2.7 million dollars.
The Bruce Energy Centre could connect to the shoreline municipal water system. It currently ends at Inverhuron Provincial Park.
A 1.2 million dollar booster pumping station would be required to help the water reach the industrial area because of the higher altitude.
Options include keeping the existing systems under Bruce Power ownership, or have the municipality take them over.
Bruce Power Executive Vice President of Corporate Services, Dwight Willett says it isn’t the company’s core business to operate infrastructure for other industries.
Willett says the sewer and water systems are something they inherited when they signed the lease for the generating station with Ontario Power Generation.
John Creighton of Greenfuel/Commercial Alcohols hopes some sort of decision that can be reached that increases their chances for long-term viability.
Creighton says he’d be happy if the sewer and water systems stayed with Bruce Power or went to the municipality. He says his company is more concerned about making sure there is an affordable and adequate supply of steam to serve their facility.
Councillor Mike Leggett, who chairs the municipal Economic Development Committee, says some of the numbers regarding the costs of upgrading the systems were surprising to him, but he says it’s still early and a lot of discussions will be taking place before a decision is made, something he says there is no timeline on.
Mayor Larry Kraemer says there is a feeling the systems should be under municipal jurisdiction in the interests of economic development.
Willett believes through discussion they can find ways of deciding who should operate the Bruce Energy Centre sewer and water systems, even though the findings of the report seem onerous.