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West Kelowna  

Westside water funding

Both the City of West Kelowna and Regional District of Central Okanagan benefited from federal funding announcements, Friday.

In a one-third split partnership, the federal and provincial governments and City of West Kelowna will each contribute $454,000 toward replacement of the Horizon Village lift station.

The lift station is being replaced to ensure the wastewater collection system continues to adequately serve the growing community.

To reduce the risk of sewage effluent discharge, more storage will be constructed and a backup energy supply will be installed to improve reliability of the system in the event of an emergency or extended power outage.

"The works are identified as a top priority in the sewer master plan, and it is imperative this infrastructure be replaced," said West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater.

Findlater said the lift station was build in the mid-1990s, but due to extensive growth in the area it is serving a population far greater than originally anticipated.

Farther up the lake, a second federal/provincial partnership has been approved for upgrading of the Killiney Beach water system.

The federal and provincial government will each put in $950,000 with the RDCO contributing to the remainder of the $2.851-million project.

The project will increase the holding capacity of the upper reservoir by 500 cubic metres through construction of a new holding cell. The aging lower reservoir will be decommissioned.

New, more powerful water pumps at the intake will also be installed, along with the replacement of 4.9 kilometres of distribution pipe.

The senior government contributions to both projects come through the Small Communities Fund.



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