Caronport closer to new water system

Sometime next fall, water to Caronport, surrounding communities and farms will come from the Buffalo Pound filtration plant.
It was announced Thursday, the federal government's Building Canada plan will give the regional water program $2.7 million of the needed $6 million for renewed water system infrastructure.
The remaining funds will be borrowed and repaid through higher local water rates, said Wayne Phillips, municipal co-ordinator for the project.
"Our water rates are below the provincial average," he said. "If we bring them up to the provincial average, the rates can pay the municipal share."
He estimated the water project can impact about 4,000 residents in Caronport, Caron, Mortlach and surrounding farms and acreages.
Farmers connecting will pay around $15,000 each with about half the cost paid by Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration grants, he said.
Roads, electricity and drinking water are all part of Canadian infrastructure that is often taken for granted, said Palliser MP Dave Batters during the announcement of the grant in Caronport Thursday.
"Public infrastructure is the backbone of communities . . . helping to expand by developing our neighbourhoods," said the Conservative MP. "It is vital to our quality of life."
"(With these improvements) the communities will have reliable access to clean quality water (to protect health and spur development)."
Mayor Royden Taylor of Caronport said the announcement is the kickoff to something great happening in the rural municipalities of Caron, Wheatlands, the Hamlet of Caron and Village of Mortlach as well as Caronport.
Caronport's Sandy Creek water plant and reservoir, once used by Moose Jaw, has served the community well, but the need to replace the aging infrastructure involves substantial costs.
"(Sandy Creek) is kind of hanging on with a shoe string (and makes the regional funding so welcome)," said Taylor.
The business plan by local municipalities was one of five submitted in Saskatchewan and one of two accepted, he said.
"There's a lot of people in the district that are going to take advantage of this who have never known what it is like to have access to a water pipeline. They've been hauling water from Moose Jaw or Mortlach for years."
Access to water will be convenient and increase rural property values, especially for acreages, he predicted.
"We have lots of work left to do. We haven't decided yet whether the pipeline will come from Moose Jaw or Buffalo Pound."
The line capacity is designed for 50 per cent more capacity than needed to handle small industries or feedlot operations in future.
Mortlach Deputy Mayor Larry Forbes said the village will need to build a small reservoir for firefighting.
"It's been a long time coming," said RM of Caron Reeve Greg McKeown.

Ron Walter can be reached at 691-1264.