Four Lambton County municipalities have jointly secured a $7-million grant from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), money that will be used to make upgrades on the Petrolia Water Treatment plant.
Representatives from Petrolia, Oil Springs, Dawn-Euphemia and Enniskillen Township – including Petrolia mayor John McCharles and Oil Springs Mayor Ian Veen – gathered at the water treatment plant in Bright’s Grove on April 12 to formally launch the project, expected to cost $8 million.
Over the next two years, the water treatment plant will receive several upgrades, including new high lift pumps, a new clear well, as well as other improvements to allow for the service’s expansion.
The project is expected to be finished by 2020.
Not only is the project important in that it will improve access to clean and safe drinking water for residents of all four communities, McCharles said, but the joint effort marked the first time that four Ontario municipalities have successfully teamed together to secure OCIF funding for a joint project.
“It’s a major project worth nearly $8 million and we’re very grateful for the funding from the province,” he said.
“And I’m quite proud of the fact that it was the first time in history that four municipalities came together on a grant application …
I heard from a number of senior members of government, who were thrilled to see the municipalities to get together.” “We all thought it was a great idea because we knew how important it was,” Veen added.
“What it means is that we’ll have affordable and safe drinking water for a long time to come.
“I think for the community it means clean, safe drinking water,” he said.