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Water treatment goes green Jeanne Gagnon Northern News Services Published Monday, January 30, 2012
It features a new access road, intake pumphouse, the treatment plant, a transmission line and diesel generator in case of a power outage, said Roy Green, assistant deputy minister for capital and technical services at the Department of Community and Government Services. He added the facility also has six solar panels and one windmill used to subsidize power, thus reducing energy costs - the first move of its kind for municipal buildings in the territory. So far, the new facility is running efficiently, without any problems, said Green. "The existing facility was nearing its useful life cycle," he said, adding the old facility was built some 20 to 25 years ago. "In terms of the treatment of the water, it's similar to all the new water treatment plants we're putting in place. The only thing with this one, we're taking advantage of some technologies for energy efficiency." Green added the GN is treating this as a pilot project and will consider using that technology in other communities depending on the success of this facility. The territorial government is reducing energy costs while the residents are getting more water capacity as the new plant can treat more water. Chris Dickson, the hamlet's senior administrative officer, said the water and sewer contractor is using both facilities during the approximately one-month transition period. After that, the old plant will be decommissioned within six months. "The local contractor is able to operate three water trucks. Right now, he's doing two at the old plant, one at the new," said Dickson. "It has increased volume capacity abilities and his ability to give more litres per household, so it increases water consumption to residents. The new plant is chlorine injection, the old plant was holding tanks - so it's all new technology." The new water treatment plant was constructed in 2011.
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