Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Arctic Red River (Aug 05/02) - Residents here can look forward to clearer, cleaner-smelling tap water by this time next year.

The GNWT has set aside $100,000 this year and $1 million next year to design and construct a new water treatment facility for the community of about 190 people.

Five options for water treatment have been prepared by the Department of Public Works. Currently, water is treated directly out of Tso Lake as it is pumped into the water truck.

"The water is safe, they tell us, but it doesn't hit minimum esthetic standards," says senior administrative officer Trevor Gates. "The community's been working on it for years. Things are starting to fall into place."

Many people buy bottled water at the store because tap water is brown and it has an odour, Gates says.

Tsiigehtchic will likely finalize its plans by the end of the year, and construction may begin next summer.