City of Yellowknife staff hope federal funding can help to pay for improvements to the municipality’s water distribution infrastructure.
During a presentation to city councillors on Wednesday, municipal director of public works Chris Greencorn said the NWT government has opened applications for the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund – a federal fund the territory is administering.
If the city applies and is approved, he said, that could provide funding to cover 75 percent of the costs of planned water infrastructure upgrades.
“I believe this application is warranted. I think it’s going to address a real need,” he said.
Greencorn said feeder main failures in Calgary prompted the City of Yellowknife to conduct its own water master plan to identify potential issues.
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While a consultant has almost completed that plan, it is not expected to be ready before the deadline to apply for federal funding. Greencorn said the consultant has identified priority concerns so the city has enough information to apply before the first intake period closes later this month.
Greencorn said priorities include upgrades to pumphouses three and four and an additional reservoir for pumphouse four. The work is estimated to cost a total of $33.5 million.
According to city documents, pumphouse four is reaching capacity. Its reservoir, replenished by a single feeder, has several other “significant water services” branching from it and a number of facilities make large water draws from it, including the aquatic centre, community arena, École William McDonald Middle School, multiplex and fieldhouse.
Those challenges also limit the city’s ability to develop land that would be serviced by the pumphouse.
Mayor Ben Hendriksen said he “was very happy to see” the city is looking to apply for funding. Councillors Cat McGurk and Tom McLennan also expressed support for the idea.
Councillors have yet to formally vote on whether the city should apply to the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund.
