City receives $31 million for water and sewer upgrades

The federal government is providing $21 million to the city for 16 water and sewer upgrades aimed at improving drinking water and sewage treatment.

The province will contribute an additional $10 million to the projects, leaving the city’s share of the cost at $10 million.

Federal Hamilton East-Stoney Creek MP Bob Bratina and provincial Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale MPP Ted McMeekin made the funding announcement Friday at the Woodward Avenue wastewater treatment plant.

Both politicians referenced the importance of clean drinking water and the need to avoid problems, such as lead contamination that has poisoned people in Flint, Mich.

“This is serious,” Bratina said of the investments needed to keep our drinking water safe.

McMeekin said we need to be better stewards of our drinking water and called the funding announcement critical to that end.

“We’re all committed to ensuring we don’t make the same kind of mistakes they’ve been making in the States.”

He said Ontario saw its share of serious drinking water issues in Walkerton, where seven people died after the town’s water was contaminated with E. coli in 2000.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said mayors across Canada have been saying for some time that a comprehensive program involving all levels of government is needed to address Canada’s infrastructure

problems.

“Together we can do a lot more than separately, so I really appreciate this collaboration.”

It is vital to maintain infrastructure or it will cost a lot more money

down the road to fix it, he added.

Eisenberger said the city could not carry out the upgrades on its own. The city is saddled with a $3billion infrastructure backlog.

The projects, which must be completed

within two years, are also expected to create jobs and add to the economy.