$1.1-million wastewater upgrade in Barrington
With financial support from the provincial and federal governments, the Municipality of Barrington has partially completed a $1.1 million upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant that services the communities of Barrington and Barrington Passage.
Funding for the project was announced on March 11. The federal government is investing $454,800 through the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Nova Scotia is investing $379,000 and the Municipality of Barrington is contributing $303,200.
The project consists of installing a stainless-steel dewatering centrifuge unit, monitoring and control equipment, a liquid polymer system, positive displacement sludge feed pumps, a sludge conveyor system, as well as a new dewatering building to house the centrifuge unit and associated polymer system.
As a result of the new infrastructure, the facility will improve its capacity to carry out one week's worth of sludge production and treatment in 24 hours. This will also reduce the cost of off-site hauling.
“Investing in modern equipment like the stainlesssteel dewatering centrifuge unit and accompanying systems is crucial for enhancing our municipality's wastewater treatment capabilities," said Barrington Municipal Warden Eddie Nickerson in a media release.
More than 30 infrastructure projects have been announced for Nova Scotia communities under the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure stream, with a total federal contribution of more than $60 million and a total provincial contribution of more than $50 million.
OTHER REGIONAL PROJECTS
Many other projects funded under the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure stream are currently underway or in the pre-construction phase in the tri-counties.
In the neighbouring Municipality of Argyle, phase 3 of the Wedgeport wastewater district is underway at an estimated cost of $1,042,860. Supported 40 percent by the federal government, the project includes the installation of 28 on-site wastewater systems in Wedgeport. The project aims to improve the quality of the wastewater discharged.
In the Town of Yarmouth, a $2.3 million active transportation project consisting of construction of new active transportation multi-use paths (MUP) is underway. The project scope includes construction of four new asphalt multi-use paths totaling 2.93 kilometres (km) as well as 130 metres (m) of new sidewalk.
Using All Ages & Abilities (AAA) national guidelines, the multi-use paths connect existing path and sidewalk networks to accommodate pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The project will complete four phases of the Yarmouth multi-use pathways network. The project also includes other amenities such as a bike rack, benches, trash receptacles, and 64 tactile plates, which are a system of textured ground surface indicators to assist the visually impaired to effectively navigate the surrounding environment.
Funding under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program has also been approved for three interdependent capital projects improvements to the Town of Yarmouth wastewater system. The estimated $2,399,000 project, which is still in the pre-construction phase, will increase the capacity to treat and manage wastewater and stormwater and increase access to potable water.
Also still in the preconstruction phase is a $2,340,000 wastewater project in the Town of Digby.
The Mount Street upgrade project consists of replacing badly deteriorated infrastructure from Victoria Street to King Street including a new water main and laterals; a new sanitary sewer main and laterals; and a new storm sewer main and laterals.
These upgrades will bring this section of Mount Street up to current wastewater standards and will make it possible to service residential buildings to be built on the vacant land.