Water pipeline 'seems like a waste of money'
Councillor questions lack of debate on $20 million project; public works director maintains drawing from Yk Bay is safe
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, November 27, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
If Yellowknife Bay water is considered safe to drink by city staff, one city councillor wondered this week why council isn't talking about using it as the main drinking water supply, a move that could save the city millions.
Chris Greencorn, the city's director of public works, shows the room that would hold arsenic filtration equipment should city council decide to install it at an approximate cost of $5 million during a tour of the new water treatment plant in September. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo |
"Why are we not having more discussion about whether we should spend $20 million on a new pipeline if it is in fact the case that if arsenic levels were to increase in the bay, we would see it coming?" said Coun. Niels Konge during Monday's council meeting.
"To spend $20 million to replace the pipeline if this is the case seems like a waste of money to me."
Mayor Mark Heyck said if a councillor wants to start that debate, they should put it on the agenda of a future meeting. The last time it was discussed, residents said they felt safer sticking with water from the Yellowknife River.
At issue is whether the city should spend millions in five years to replace an eight-kilometre pipeline under Great Slave Lake that carries the drinking water supply from the Yellowknife River.
The city has the ability to draw from Yellowknife Bay near the new water treatment plant. When the plant was built, space was set aside to install arsenic treatment filters if a future council decided to use the bay as a drinking water supply. That equipment could cost about $5 million.
Konge's question came after the issue of water was raised by Coun. Julian Morse, who asked administration for more information about what happens when the city pulls water from the bay.
Chris Greencorn, the city's director of public works and engineering, has said switching the water supply to the bay would be the more economical option for the city while repeatedly saying the water is tested and is safe to consume.
Greencorn told Morse the city has switched to using bay water for short periods for at least 12 years, while the pumphouse at the Yellowknife River is undergoing maintenance.
Any event that would significantly impact arsenic concentration in the bay would be known well in advance, Greencorn said.
"It would be an event that the Giant (Mine remediation) team would let us know about anyway, so those aren't concerns at this point," he said.
Those comments prompted Konge to ask why there hasn't been a debate on the water source.
When Yellowknifer sought to ask Konge whether he'd ask for the debate to be reopened, calls went to voicemail. He sent an e-mail Thursday stating the topic of switching water sources is "a discussion that needs to be had."
