Beaconsfield is investing $12 million to revamp its aging water mains and sewers.
Quebec and Ottawa will each be floating $4.1 million towards the project adding up to a total of $8.2 million.
The rest of the total will be from the city of Beaconsfield.
Most of the money is going towards repairing 8,000 metres of sewer pipes.
The rest is going towards updating water mains for drinking water — over 6,800 metres of pipes.
“Beaconsfield is well over 100 years old so we have some older pipes that are underground,” Mayor Georges Bourelle said. “The cast iron pipes that are in the ground, we will re-line them so that it will stop any leaks and any breakage in the future.”
Bourelle says the fixtures will be good for 50 to 75 years, and at a much lower cost than replacing all the pipes.
Federal and provincial ministers were in town for the announcement. Member of the National Assembly Geoff Kelley says the funding is a great example of co-operation between different levels of government. Kelley says the maintenance of the pipes will be a safer option for the environment.
“Keeping those things up-to-date and modern is very important as an environmental concern.”
Francis Scarpaleggia, member of the House of Commons agrees. “These investments will prevent sewage overflows during heavy rain storms, where some of the water has to be released into the lake because water is coming in through porous pipes,” Scarpaleggia said.
Some of the work on the water system was already completed last fall.