Lakeshore is expanding its Denis St. Pierre Water Pollution Control Plant and none too soon.
The water pollution control plant is operating at capacity, partly because of new development in the municipality. Lakeshore has seen record growth in new homes being built, but the pandemic has had an impact too.
With more people working from home, water and wastewater usage patterns have changed.
Capacity is an issue Lakeshore Town Council has been aware of for some time. Its Water and Wastewater Master Plan identified it back in 2018, and since then, the town has taken steps to mitigate the increase.
A study two years ago found ways to optimize capacity, and last year an environmental assessment started to expand the plant.
The environmental assessment is done now, and councillors budgeted $2.2 million to start engineering design work.
The expansion is expected to increase capacity by 70 per cent.
Council also budgeted another $7.5 million to complete the designs and start construction. The town plans to issue a tender for construction soon, and work will continue into 2022, wrapping up the year after.
Until then, the town has deferred new development applications.