Accessibility and Access Keys [0]
OTTAWA – Mayor Larry O’Brien announced Wednesday that he wants to set aside $70 million in provincial and federal money to help reduce sewage overflows and spills into the Ottawa River.
Earlier this week, just ahead of an anticipated election, the federal government announced it would give Ottawa $33 million to help the city stop dumping untreated sewage into the river, including $20 million it had previously promised. Last week, the provincial government gave the city $77 million for infrastructure upgrades and encouraged the municipality to spend it on the sewage problem.
The city has a history of sewage spills into the river from its combined sewer system downtown, including one of almost a billion litres in 2006, for which it faces provincial environment act charges. The municipality also routinely dumps a mixture of raw sewage and stormwater during heavy rains when the system is overwhelmed.
City council has already approved a new system, designed to make better use of space in existing sewers, to limit overflows. The system will cost a total of $30 million, and the city has earmarked $19 million towards it.
Mr. O’Brien said the city will fund the rest of the new system, which is hoped to reduce overflows by 65 per cent and cut spills to zero.
Everything announced by the mayor needs council approval before being done.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008