Transformative investment in water and wastewater infrastructure in the community of Inverness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Inverness, Nova Scotia, March, 17, 2023—Today, representatives of the Government of Canada, the Government of Nova Scotia and the Municipality of the County of Inverness announced a combined investment of more than $24 million to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure in the community of Inverness.

Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton–Canso; the Honourable Allan MacMaster, Deputy Premier of Nova Scotia and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Inverness; and Bonny MacIsaac, Warden of the Municipality of the County of Inverness, made the announcement to a packed assembly at the Inverness Volunteer Fire Department.

The project announced is amongst the largest infrastructure projects in a community in Nova Scotia. It is the largest infrastructure project that the Municipality has ever taken on.

Mike Kelloway MP in Inverness NS, announcing more than $25 million of investment in the community of Inverness.

While the Municipality owns an estimated $186 million of water and wastewater assets, a recent report indicated that $103 million investment is required over the next 10 years to improve and maintain the current status of the infrastructure and associated level of services to residents.

The required costs are significantly higher than the national average, and the bulk of the infrastructure deficit – above 40% – is in the community of Inverness. The assessment identified the Inverness wastewater treatment plant as a priority for replacement due to its age, condition, and operational deficiencies. Additionally, the report demonstrated that the distribution systems are in exceptionally poor condition.

Community of Inverness

Estimated Asset Replacement Value           $ 48.5 million

Estimated 10-year investment cost             $ 42.6 million

80% of linear assets in Inverness              very poor condition

87% of sanitary sewer in Inverness           very poor condition

77% of watermains in Inverness               very poor condition

The work is both necessary and a priority for the Municipality.

Staff of the municipality were among the packed audience at Inverness Volunteer Fire Department to hear the announcement.

As part of a coordinated infrastructure approach, the Municipality also identified the planned resurfacing of Central Avenue in Inverness by the Nova Scotia Department of Public Works as a tremendous opportunity to replace the undersized and failing linear water and sanitary sewer mains along the main transportation corridor in the community.

Inverness is a community on the rise, and the project unveiled today will ensure system capacity to manage existing and projected future flows, allowing for sustainable commercial and residential growth.

The Government of Canada is investing $9,764,400 in this project. The Government of Nova Scotia is contributing $8,137,000. The Municipality of the County of Inverness is contributing $6,509,600.

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Contact

Joe Carew

Communications and Community Engagement Lead
Municipality of the County of Inverness
375 Main Street, Port Hood, NS B0E 2W0

joe.carew@invernesscounty.ca
+1 (902) 323 0089