Four Central Lambton communities get cash

Brooke-Alvinston will be able to complete much needed repairs to its water system, thanks to grants from the federal and provincial governments. But finding the contractors able to complete the task in the time frame required could be a difficult task.
The municipality applied for both the federal and provincial grants to  refurbish the pumping stations in Inwood and Alvinston, buy a number of pieces of equipment for the Alvinston sewage plant including a new generator and blower, and to reline the water tower.
The municipality estimated the work would cost about $315,000 in all. It recently received word it will get $125,000 to complete some of the work including relining the Alvinston water tower, according to Treasurer Steve Ikert.
“We’ve given OCWA (the Ontario Clean Water Association manages the Brooke-Alvinston system) direction to get quotes to see if it can be done this year,” Ikert recently told council.
That could be difficult according to Public Works Manager Randy Hills. “The work on the tower is time sensitive. It has to be done in good weather,” he says.
And with the federal and provincial government handing out a lot of water and sewer money all at once, finding someone to complete the project in a short time frame may be difficult.
“Everybody is in the same boat,” says Hills. “There are only so many contractors.”
Hills added that completing the work is not easy. OCWA, the municipality and the contractor will have to coordinate the work with the local fire department. The Alvinston water tower is used for fire protection only, allowing for enough water pressure during a fire.
While Brooke-Alvinston looks for a contractor, a number of other local municipalities are cashing in on water and sewer grants.
Petrolia received word in April it will get money for the reconstruction of sewers on Florence and Egan Streets to the tune of about $630,000.
Plympton-Wyoming is receiving $529,000 to replace a water main serving several streets in Camlachie.
And St. Clair Township will receive almost $2.7 million to complete nine projects including improving the sewage lagoons in Port Lambton and Sombra and replacing the sewer outfall at the Ferry Dock in Corunna.
The announcements were part of a nation-wide roll out of infrastructure funding. In all, the Government of Canada is providing Ontario with over $569 million.
The provincial government is providing up to $270 million with municipalities kicking in the rest of the cash to complete the projects.