The province has announced just over $8 million in funding for water and sewer infrastructure in Chatham-Kent-Leamington. Leamington will receive $7,410,411 to support phases 1 and 2 of the Northwest Quadrant Sewer Separation project and $707,884 for the Township of Pelee in support of the Pelee East Shore Distribution System and Water Storage Rehabilitation project. The funding is being delivered through the province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program - Health and Safety Water Stream (MHIP-HSWS). Mayor Hilda MacDonald said the sewer separation project is key to flood prevention. “It upgrades our infrastructure in the northwest quadrant of the municipality which allows more density, more building, and better passage of water and waste water. This for us is monumental,” she said. She went on to say the project is important for future growth. “In the areas that have old infrastructure then it’s problematic when you’ve got developers who want to come in and either infill, or tear down and build brand new, and now this allows this to happen,” said MacDonald. “It means that there will not be sewer capacity issues. It allows for people to build in areas that have been restricted by that capacity.” MacDonald said they applied to the province for the funding but thought it wouldn’t come through for at least five years, saying it was unclear when the Northwest Quadrant Sewer Separation project would begin but she added town staff could now begin planning. “We’ve had an opportunity to let them know that if they want to build homes faster than that has to be an important component. So they’ve listened and we’re certainly grateful. This is now the second large sewer project funding that we’ve received in less than six months so we’re very grateful to the province for recognizing that,” she said. Last August, the province announced $41 million to help pay for the $56 million North East Trunk Sewer and Seacliff Drive reconstruction project. MacDonald said the hope was still to have shovels in the ground by this spring.
