PORT HOOD: At a recent Committee of the Whole meeting for the Municipality of the County of Inverness, council passed a resolution to apply to the province for funding support towards a new wastewater treatment plant in Whycocomagh.
During the council meeting on Dec. 16, Melanie Beaton, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Inverness, announced that the project could now proceed following approval from Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change for construction.
Beaton explained that the project had been in development for several years, noting that the initial scope did not fully consider the long-term needs of the community.
“The original plan didn’t look holistically at the plant,” Beaton said, explaining that adjustments were necessary.
The updated plan takes into account both short-term and long-term growth in Whycocomagh and We’koqma’q, as well as future projections.
“What we end up putting in place will have a 30-year lifespan and needs to serve those communities, not just how they look now but how they will look in the future,” Beaton stated.
Key aspects of the revised project include the repurposing of the oxidation ditch for emergency overflow and the addition of a third SVR tank for redundancy.
Beaton also highlighted a new funding opportunity for municipalities, known as the GRID program, which supports infrastructure development, including housing. The program offers a cost-sharing model for components not receiving full funding, and the total project cost is estimated at $5,872,043, with up to half potentially covered by the GRID program.
After discussing the funding details, council members agreed to proceed with the application. The Deputy CAO also addressed questions from councillors regarding project timelines.
“I expect it will go to tender this week, and the tender will likely be posted for four weeks, with an extension of at least two weeks,” Beaton explained. She added that the start of construction would depend on the contractor’s schedule and availability. “The first part will probably be excavation, and it will depend on weather conditions and what their availability is.”.
The council also addressed the ongoing work on the Judique Dam. Beaton reported that the project is currently in the detailed design phase but is facing some delays.
“We’re now doing an application for a watercourse alteration, but there are still land components holding us up,” Beaton said.
The timeline for the Judique Dam project remains uncertain as the municipality works through land-related issues. With an estimated cost of $2 million, Beaton noted, “It’s going to be a hefty project. We’re going to have to find funding to help offset it. It’s a water piece, so we’ll need to cover it as part of the water capital budget.”