It is a first for Canada, and it's happening in Niverville. Provencher Member of Parliament Vic Toews was in Niverville Monday announcing federal funding for a water quality project.
The Town of Niverville is in the process of decommissioning its old sewage lagoon. Mayor Greg Fehr says the conventional way would see them dig up the sludge and either deliver it to a landfill or farmer's field. He notes the cost of that project could be as high as $2.5 million.
But the Town has developed an alternative. Fehr says plants are growing overtop of the sludge, many of which are drought resistant grasses. Then what happens, the plants will suck up contaminates from the old lagoon which are then removed once the plants are harvested.
Toews announced $159,330 for the project. Fehr says their initial budget is slightly less than $800,000. The funding comes from the Lake Winnipeg Basin Stewardship Fund which supports community stewardship actions that improve water quality and measurably reduce nutrient loading that creates algal blooms.
Fehr anticipates the length of the project to be no less than five years. He notes following that, the old lagoon will likely be incorporated as part of a bio area within Hespeler Park.
"We see this as somewhere that the people can enjoy, some bio diversity that will exist within this area, looking at the project and it will continue to be a study area indefinitely," notes Fehr.
Toews says Professor Francis Zvomuya from the University of Manitoba has indicated the site allows for university students to break down different components of the project.
"The research here that is going to move this matter along I can see being utilized in many contexts right across Canada," notes Toews. "At a time when people are looking at cost effective and conservation minded solutions, this seems to be the perfect solution."
"It almost seems like something that's obvious, that should have been done a long time ago," adds Toews.
Thu, May 2, 2:00 PM
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