Water system upgrades for West Hants announced amid development boom

West Hants Regional Municipality is awash in cash following a government announcement Tuesday that will allow it to double the capacity of its water system at a time when the area is experiencing a development boom.

The municipality and provincial government are splitting the $6.1-million cost of a new 5.5-million litre water storage tank that will be located in Three Mile Plains.

Mayor Abraham Zebiansaid the expansion has been planned for some time, but was pushed up the municipality's priority list in the face of recentdevelopment.

Since the formation of the municipality in 2020,he estimates council has approved at least 1,000 new housing units. New development agreements are coming before council on anear-monthly basis, he said.

"To keep on approving and to keep on growing, this will definitely allow us to do that now."

Hants West MLA Melissa Sheehy-Richard, who made the announcement on behalf of the Tory government, said the new tank will address ongoing challenges with insufficient water storage and concerns about capacity that can occur during drought conditions, system maintenance or in the event of a fire.

"This will also support the growth that our community is experiencing," she said.

Drinking water needs and regulatory requirements have meant some development proposals in the past could not go ahead due to capacity issues with the existing water system, said Sheehy-Richard.

She and the mayor both said Tuesday's announcement is separate from concerns about emergency water supplythat resulted in the provincial government issuing an emergency order last year to keep the gates of the Windsor aboiteau shut so Lake Pisiquid in the community's downtown would remain filled.

The new water tank has already been approved for design and tendering.

The announcement is part of a series related to municipal infrastructure that the provincial government has been making since the conclusion of the spring session of the legislature.

Projects have already been announced in Pictou and Liverpool and another is scheduled for Wednesday in Chester.

The money comes from the municipal capital growth program, a $102-million fund announced in February.