Georgian Bluffs is looking for provincial and federal grant dollars to help finance a major watermain reconstruction.
Township staff is recommending an application be submitted to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program Green Stream funding for the reconstruction of part of the East Linton water system — primarily the replacement of an undersized water line installed in 1976.
The project includes the replacement of 2.5 km of watermains in multiple locations including on Grey Road 1, Balmy Beach Road, Maple Ridge Road/Maple Ridge Crescent and Indian Acres Road West.
According to a report by the township's Director of Operations Tyler Jahnke, the preliminary estimated cost of the project is $3.15-million.
Under the joint provincial/federal Green Stream fund Georgian Bluffs would be responsible for 40 per cent of costs, or about $1.2-million.
Council will vote on the recommendation at Wednesday's meeting.
Jahnke's report explains the cost of maintaining older infrastructure is being seen with the township's efforts to reduce water loss.
At the beginning of 2019, the East Linton water system had 64 per cent water loss.
“After multiple excavations and man hours finding the leaks, the water loss has been lowered to 31 per cent,” Jahnke's report explains. “This number is still too high as the cost of treating the water is not being recouped. It is assumed that the majority of large leaks are found, but the old infrastructure has multiple smaller leaks that we have not been able to find.”
Jahnke notes the proposed project is contingent on receiving grant funding approval.