North Glengarry's water pipeline project one step closer to fruition

The Township of North Glengarry is one major step closer to realizing its $57-million regional water pipeline project.

Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MPP Jean-Marc Lalonde paid a visit to the Sandfield Centre in Alexandria last Wednesday, May 25 to announce that the provincial government was assisting the township with its engineering portion of the project - to the tune of $2.85 million.

The amount represents about 90 per cent of the $3.18-million engineering costs, which is the exact figure township officials had asked the province for last year. That request came after federal and provincial representatives informed the township that it would not likely receive two-thirds funding for the entire $57-million project cost.

"This is no longer a pipe dream, it's going to be a reality," said North Glengarry Mayor Grant Crack, who welcomed the announcement alongside his South Glengarry counterpart, Jim McDonell. "I look forward to bringing this project to fruition."

The regional water supply pipeline project calls for two transmission watermains to bring treated water from Cornwall to Alexandria and Maxville, as well as upgrades to the Alexandria water treatment plant and provisions for future distribution to South Glengarry (in Martintown, Apple Hill, and Dominionville).

Residents and several councillors have repeatedly stressed that Maxville is in need of an improved water supply, and the lack of a reliable water source was stalling its growth and development.

In addressing township officials and reporters, Lalonde noted the project did not qualify for funding through the Ontario Small Waterworks Assistance Program (OSWAP) - as did five other municipalities in eastern Ontario - but that a number of provincial ministers and local staff worked together to find the funding through alternate avenues.

"You did a job that I never thought we'd succeed at," he told council members and staff. "We haven't seen this (amount of funding) in years. Now, councils are working together and the mayors knew that the priority was to get water to North and South Glengarry from Cornwall. We are working as a team, and teamwork paid off on this one."

There was much less optimism about the project in mid-April, however, when both councils met to discuss a number of joint projects. At the time, it was noted there was little progress made on obtaining funding for the regional water pipeline project - and that no response had been received.

The mood was certainly different last week for, as Lalonde put it, "The sun will come out for sure this afternoon."

He explained the province did support the project, as it involves multiple communities, and that a report presented by the township to Natural Resources Minister Linda Jeffries last month "paid off" in securing the funding.

Lalonde would not specify which department the $2.85 million came from, though he noted it was not the Ministry of Natural Resources, nor was it the Ministry of Energy, as that department manages OSWAP. He did note the minister in charge of the portfolio had visited North Glengarry in recent months, leaving some to believe the funding came from the Ministry of Environment.

North Glengarry's public works manager, André Bachand, said that in terms of infrastructure projects, it was the largest amount ever received by the township.

The engineering portion of the project will cover the project design, location surveys, and the tendering process, which all together is expected to take about 18 months.

"It's a multi-phase project," Bachand told The Review. "The first step is to hire a project manager, and start putting out the terms of reference for an engineering consultant. It's a big engineering project: laying out the path of the pipeline itself, the infrastructure, and lots of drilling to see what's in the ground."

He added drilling could begin as early as late fall or early winter.