Construction has been completed on the City of West Kelowna’s Horizon Village Lift Station.
More than 2,200 residents are benefitting from the Horizon Village Lift Station wastewater improvement project, which was completed with contributions from the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia under the New Building Canada Small Communities Fund.
The old lift station was running well beyond its intended capacity due to continuing rapid growth in the City of West Kelowna. The facility’s aging equipment was inefficient to operate and difficult to maintain as replacement parts became more difficult to obtain.
“As the City of West Kelowna enters into the 10th year of incorporation, the municipality reflects back on the tremendous support the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia have provided to upgrade key pieces of water and waste water infrastructure throughout the community,” said Doug Findlater, Mayor, City of West Kelowna. “We, as a city, are grateful for their assistance, which came at a very pivotal time while we were striving to create a new municipality from scratch and simultaneously dealing with tremendous growth and urbanization pressures.”
Average monthly power use has dropped by 59 per cent since the new lift station was commissioned. The upgrades also included the addition of a backup pump and power source and emergency storage, providing an additional level of protection for nearby Faulkner Creek. A wildfire resistant mason-block building was also constructed as part of the upgrade to house lift station equipment, which is located by a forested ravine.
The Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia each contributed $454,015 to the $1.39 million project through the Small Communities Fund. The City of West Kelowna covered the remaining costs from sewer reserves and development cost charges.
“We recognize the critical role that wastewater systems play in supporting healthy, thriving communities and are proud to have played a role in ensuring there is a reliable system for the people of West Kelowna,” said Selina Robinson, British Columbia’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Congratulations on the completion of the Horizon Village Lift Station wastewater improvement project.”
The $1-billion Small Communities Fund was created to support priority public infrastructure projects in communities across the country with less than 100,000 residents.
