Council for the Rural Municipality of Hanover is contemplating how to fund a water pipeline project from Grunthal to Kleefeld.
A 10.4 kilometre long regional water pipeline has been approved for construction which will bring treated water from Grunthal to Kleefeld. The pipeline is needed to dilute Kleefeld water and lower barium content.
The Office of Drinking Water found that treated water samples in Kleefeld had elevated barium levels, exceeding health guidelines. However, Hanover Reeve Stan Toews has indicated the water is still safe to drink.
The RM of Hanover has indicated the Grunthal Utility operates a water treatment facility. Regular testing of this supply has shown that it is within the minimum accepted standard for barium 
Engineers estimate the project will cost approximately $1.4 million. The Province of Manitoba through the Water Services Board has already promised a grant totalling nearly $700,000. The Kleefeld Utility Reserve Fund will contribute $150,000, leaving about $550,000 to be borrowed.
Hanover Council has given first reading to a plan, that if approved would see a local improvement tax be levied based on proportioned value of eligible assessable property. That means, for a home assessed at $250,000, an annual local improvement tax of $200.25 would be levied from 2017 to 2031.
The plan has been met by objection. Resident Alain Lemire has expressed concern over the number of projects he's been taxed on since moving to the community eight years ago. Lemire used the paving of Bergen Bay and the paving of Friesen Avenue as examples. He also objects to the fact the payments are based on assessed value instead of per parcel or consumption.
"We're being penalized fairly severely," says Lemire, who notes he will pay more for using less water than some of his neighbours.
Hanover Reeve Stan Toews explains that by taxing on assessment, they are then able to also tax homes that get built in Kleefeld over the next fifteen years. Toews says if homes were taxed on a per lot basis, they can not add homes to the plan. The end result is that the taxes per home will probably actually drop as the years go on.
Another concern that came up at Wednesday's public hearing is that if approved, all homes in Kleefeld will be taxed, even those with private wells. Toews explains anyone within the Local Improvement District will be taxed, as this is for sewer and water infrastructure. Furthermore, he says those homes in Kleefeld on private wells will be eligible to hook into the system in the future if they choose.
The matter has now been sent to the Municipal Board. Toews notes it could take six weeks before they receive an answer. He notes the Manitoba Water Services Board has indicated it would like to tender the project in December in order to begin construction next spring.
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