The Manitoba government is supporting the City of Winnipeg by providing approximately $8 million for wastewater infrastructure projects to help protect Manitoba’s precious freshwater resources, Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein has announced.
“One of our government’s top priorities has been to clean up Lake Winnipeg and work with the City of Winnipeg in a collaborative way to advance the much-needed upgrades to the North End Water Pollution Control Centre,” said Klein. “Together, we are taking another step forward to improve the health of our waterways. These upgrades will provide immediate pollution relief to the Red River and Lake Winnipeg, and mitigate flood risks for many homes in Winnipeg and the surrounding area.”
The Manitoba government has announced its support for the City of Winnipeg and critical wastewater infrastructure projects, including $7.5 million for the southwest sewer interceptor project and $433,000 for the risk mitigation infrastructure at the Darcy Sewer Lift station. This project is part of the City of Winnipeg’s long-term combined sewer overflow project to build additional system capacity, get more wastewater to the South End Sewage Treatment Plant while reducing nutrient loading into the province’s freshwater systems.
The announcement followed a meeting of a provincial-municipal task force on advancing wastewater projects. The task force, chaired by the minister with Brian Mayes, City of Winnipeg councillor, serving as vice-chair, works collaboratively alongside academics and experts to advance wastewater infrastructure projects that will improve environmental outcomes for Lake Winnipeg and the overall quality of life for Manitobans.
“I would like to thank Minister Klein and the premier for their support of wastewater projects,” said Mayes. “The southwest interceptor and Darcy Lift station projects are much needed in the city’s old and new neighbourhoods in the southwest part of Winnipeg.”
In 2013, Lake Winnipeg was designated the most polluted lake in Canada. Since 2016, the Manitoba government has been working diligently to protect the province’s lakes, and ensure they are clean and accessible for future generations, Klein said.
“The work the Manitoba government continues to do in partnership with the City of Winnipeg supports organizations like ours, to tackle these shared issues together,” said Garry Wasylowski, board chair, Manitoba Association of Watersheds. “Working together toward our shared vision to enhance our water infrastructure and environment will benefit us all, our children and our grandchildren.”
The wastewater projects support the Manitoba government’s water management strategy framework, the first comprehensive plan of its kind in nearly 20 years, along with the initial water action plan, which was unveiled in early July, the minister noted.
For more information on the Manitoba government’s water management strategy, visit: www.manitoba.ca/water.
