New water tower for Neils Harbour and New Haven
Construction work continues on a new water tower that will serve residents of several northern Cape Breton communities.
The $750,000 project became necessary when a hole rusted through the top of the current tower that brings fresh water to the people of Neils Harbour and New Haven areas.
District 7 Councillor Wayne Budge said the replacement tank will be bigger than the old one, which will be good news for residents for a variety of reasons.
“That’s going to help, especially when Co-op Fisheries is working,” he said.
“It’s been so dry the last number of years that most wells just wouldn’t do the job for people.”
At the April 24 meeting of Victoria County council, it was moved and seconded that a letter be forwarded to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approving the construction of a water tower for the Neils Harbour/New Haven Water System at a cost of $750,000.
According to council minutes, the municipality would agree to cover the shortfall of the water utility for the replacement of the water tower.
Leanne MacEachen, who at that time was director of finance for the municipality, indicated that half of the funding for the project would come from Gas Tax funds.
A boost to the project came on April 28 when the province announced a contribution of $150,000 for the water tower upgrades as part of almost $1 million in funding for 10 communities from the Provincial Capital Assistance Program.
The project was back on the Victoria County council agenda during the May 8 meeting when correspondence from Zach Churchill, the province’s minister of municipal affairs, was read, advising of his department’s contribution of 50 per cent of eligible project costs, up to a maximum of $150,000.
Budge said work on the new tower began in September when a concrete slab was put in place at its future site.
He said the new tank has been brought into the community since then, but has not yet been installed.
His estimate was that the project would be completed before the end of November.
According to the Victoria Standard community newspaper, the 27-metre high tower will hold will hold 760 cubic metres of water and is being installed by Greatario Engineered Storage Systems.