Chelsea Novak
Rossland News
On Monday afternoon, David Wilks, MP for Kootenay-Columbia, joined Rossland’s mayor and city council members in Harry Lefevre Square to announce funding for a new water main.
The funding comes from a joint venture between the federal and provincial governments called the Small Communities Fund. Each government will contribute up to $1,090,850 to the $3,272,551 water main project, with the City of Rossland covering the final third of the cost.
Rossland’s current water main is over 100 years old, and while water produced by the current treatment plant meets requirements, cracks in the old steel mains could lead to contamination. The old main is also prone to leaks, which costs the City more in operation and maintenance costs, and has left some residents without water or fire protection for long periods.
The new water main will be built to meet Rossland’s current and projected water demands.
Mayor Kathy Moore was thrilled with the announcement, and believes this is the biggest grant Rossland has ever received. It’s also a key grant in maintaining the city’s infrastructure.
“Rossland has put in applications for grants totalling over $10 million on $21 million worth of really essential infrastructure projects, but we were not successful in getting grants at all,” says Moore. “So we’ve had to delay, postpone and abandon some of these projects. So this particular grant is key for us.”