The Regional District of Nanaimo is applying for a green infrastructure grant to help reduce the cost of four pollution control projects.
The federal/provincial green infrastructure environmental quality grant, which has earmarked $150 million to support cost-sharing for public infrastructure initiatives, will provide up to 73.3 per cent of funding of eligible project costs.
RDN staff has asked the board to approve four major projects to be submitted for grant consideration: a Departure Bay pump station and forcemain upgrade; a Duke Point Pollution Control Centre ultraviolet disinfection upgrade, a Nanoose Bay Pollution Control Centre secondary treatment upgrade, and a French Creek Pollution Control Centre expansion and odour-control project.
The deadline to apply for the grants is Feb. 26 and requires the support of the RDN board. The four projects will improve the quality of wastewater treatment and boost the capacity of wastewater system to meet population growth, according to a staff report.
READ MORE: French Creek Pollution Control Centre seeing upgrades, expansion
The $7.4-million Departure Bay pump station project includes engineering, improvements to the integrity of the force main and electrical, mechanical and pumping upgrades at the facilty, constructed in 1974.
The Nanoose Bay Pollution Control Centre secondary treatment upgrade is budgeted at $5.2 million and is required by 2023 under the RDN’s liquid waste management plan. The centre provides wastewater treatment to approximately 1,350 people in Nanoose.
The Duke Point Pollution Control Centre’s ultraviolet disinfection system is at the end of its service life, notes a staff report, and requires replacement, budgeted at $250,000.
RDN staff indicated that without grant funding, the regional district would shoulder the full funding for the French Creek and Nanoose Bay projects, and also the other two projects located in Nanaimo.