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Saltair to receive $3.9 million for water project

Funding comes from joint provincial/federal program
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Area G director Lynne Smith. The community of Saltair, located in the Cowichan Valley Regional District, will receive approximately $3.9 million from a federal/provincial program for its water filtration project. (File photo)

The community of Saltair is receiving approximately $3.9 million in senior government funding to complete a water filtration project required to meet provincial drinking water guidelines.

The funding comes from the federal and provincial government’s joint Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program’s Green Infrastructure Stream, and represents approximately 70 per cent of the total estimated $5 million cost of the water filtration project.

“Our community is so thrilled to receive this contribution to ensure the long-term sustainability of our drinking water,” said Lynne Smith, the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s director for Saltair/Thetis Island.

“On behalf of residents in Saltair, I want to thank our federal and provincial partners for supporting this project and ensuring we can complete this upgrade.”

The Saltair Water Treatment Expansion Project will see the installation of two new treatment units to bring the water system into compliance with provincial surface water treatment regulations.

“The water quality for the Saltair system is already excellent, so we’re very lucky to start with,” said Brian Dennison, the CVRD’s manager of water management.

“But this just adds another layer of drinking water protection and ensures residents will have a best-in-class system for many years to come.”

With the funding now secured, a request for proposals will be issued for a design build for the project.

The project is anticipated to be completed in late 2022.