Nanaimo celebrates opening of new water treatment plant

Key Points

• This $72.5 million project was made possible thanks to contributions of over $36 million from the Building Canada Fund, Federal Gas Tax Fund and BC Hydro's energy incentives program.
• Construction of the water treatment plant was completed in December 2015.
• Since becoming operational December 2015, the new plant has averted several boil water orders.

Quotes

Quick Facts

• Nanaimo's new Water Treatment Plant is one of only two facilities in Canada to use gravity syphon to draw water through the membranes, rather than suction pumps. This is estimated to save in excess of $60,000 per year in power costs.
• The Building Canada Fund, Communities Component provided a major share of funding. The Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), in collaboration with the Government of Canada and Province of British Columbia, administers the Gas Tax Fund in BC.
• The plant features two stages of filtration which recover greater than 99% of the water that passes through.
• The membranes, designed by GE Water and Process Technologies, remove particles down to 0.1 micron – one ten-millionth of a metre, smaller than most bacteria.

Attachments

• Message from the Honourable Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

• Water Treatment Plant Fact Sheet

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