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Ottawa communities still on wells don’t get benefit of financial help
Ottawa Mayor Larry O’Brien and Russell Township Mayor Ken Hill yesterday signed a deal that will see Ottawa River water piped east from the city, 28 kilometres to the township, even as some Ottawa communities must rely on well water.
The Russell project comes with big financial support from the federal and provincial governments, each spending $4.5 million for the long watermain. Russell, which relies on wells for water, has a population of almost 15,000. Mr. Hill said uncertainty over the future of groundwater for wells made him turn to Ottawa for help.
Mr. O’Brien stressed the project will not cost the city. He said the impact will be insignificant because Russell will use less than one per cent of Ottawa’s water consumption. Ottawa uses about 350 million litres of water a day and Russell uses less than three million. Mr. O’Brien said the deal is part of being a good neighbour to Ottawa Valley communities.
Asked about communities within Ottawa’s municipal boundaries that don’t have piped water service, such as Richmond, Mr. O’Brien said those communities will have water eventually.
But communities within Ottawa’s boundary don’t get the financial help that rural communities like Russell do. Asked why, Pierre Lemieux, the Conservative MP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, said the federal program is for rural communities and the federal government isn’t responsible for drawing the Ottawa map to include rural villages. The Ontario government drew the map that included a huge rural area in Ottawa’s amalgamation of 2001.
Not everyone on Ottawa council supports the Russell water deal.
Councillor Clive Doucet calls it “a new step in urban sprawl,” and says communities should be self sufficient when it comes to water, ensuring that groundwater is free of pollutants such as pesticides.
“How many more townships will come knocking on our door to solve their water problems?” asked Mr. Doucet, in a statement.
The total project to replace Russell’s water system will cost $19 million. Mr. Hill said developers will have to charge their customers to help cover the costs. Russell is expecting to grow to 24,000 by 2025.
Construction will start this year and the water will be flowing sometime in 2009. Mr. Hill said one of the benefits of the piped water is that residents will have access to fluoridated water to improve dental health.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008