[All] GREN in news on pipeline

[John Jackson]

Planned water pipeline¹s cost surges past $1B
     
  By Jeff Outhit, Record staff
                   

WATERLOO REGION ‹ A new study estimates it would cost $1.2 billion to pipe
drinking water from Lake Erie by 2035.

That figure, calculated in 2008 dollars, is much higher than a previous
estimate of $700 million, in 2007 dollars. But the pipeline is still
feasible, the study concludes.

Waterloo regional government prepared the feasibility study with six
municipal and First Nations partners who might share the pipeline.

The proposal is to draw water at Nanticoke. The site already has twin intake
tunnels, a provincial permit to draw water, some preliminary facilities and
40 hectares of space for other facilities.

The study looked at various pipeline options. It concludes the best one is
to: 

 Build a new water treatment plant at Nanticoke.

 Pipe treated water north toward Six Nations, then past Brantford and into
Waterloo Region. 

 Build storage and pumping facilities at four locations along the route.

 Branch off smaller pipelines to divert some water to participating
communities.

Costs would be shared by partners, and paid by water rates that would rise
to cover the bill. 

However, the pipeline would not supply all local water demand. Some water
would still have to be provided from local sources that include groundwater
and the Grand River.

The proposal ³scares² John Jackson, chair of the Grand River Environmental
Network, a coalition of local groups.

³It¹s completely unnecessary,² Jackson said. ³It¹s an engineer¹s pipe dream.
But it¹s not the solution to our water problem.²

Pipeline money is better spent retrofitting buildings to conserve water, he
said. He¹s also concerned about the energy needed to run huge water pumps.

Regional councillors voted Tuesday to continue studying the pipeline,
planned for 2035. This is prudent ³whether we use it or not,² said Coun.
Sean Strickland of Waterloo.

Council¹s shorter-term plan to meet water needs is to promote conservation,
store treated water underground and find new groundwater sources.

jouthit at therecord.com
   
 

 
 <http://news.therecord.com/default>

-- 
John Jackson
17 Major Street
Kitchener, Ontario N2H 4R1
519-744-7503


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