For immediate release: September 12, 2006

INVESTMENT IN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS TOWN OF ORANGEVILLE

ORANGEVILLE - Residents of the Town of Orangeville will benefit from cleaner, safer drinking water through an investment under the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program.
David Tilson, MP for Dufferin-Caledon; the Honourable Leona Dombrowsky, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; and Drew Brown, Mayor of the Town of Orangeville, are pleased that this project is underway.

The Town of Orangeville will upgrade its well water supply, which will improve the drinking water quality for 7,910 households. The project will involve the installation of chemical containment devices, chlorine analyzers and alarms at the pumphouses and wells, as well as pressure relief valves and blow offs at all pumphouses. Other improvements include the installation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system and turbidity analyzers, the provision of filtration and disinfection at appropriate wells, the updating of process and instrumentation diagrams, as well as the drilling of new wells with connections to new water supplies.

The upgrades are required to bring the municipal water system into compliance with the Ontario Drinking Water Systems Regulation and improve the quality of life for residents in the Town of Orangeville. "Green" municipal infrastructure is a top priority for the Canada-Ontario Infrastructure Program.

The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario will each contribute up to $4,666,044 to this project. The Town of Orangeville will invest the balance of the project's total eligible cost of $13,998,131.

"It is essential that communities, large and small, have a reliable, clean and safe drinking water supply," said Mr. Tilson. "The Government of Canada is pleased to make such a significant investment in improving the quality of life of Orangeville residents."

"Improvements to the water quality in Orangeville are an example of the McGuinty government's commitment to upgrading essential infrastructure - an important part of Ontario's plan for rural communities," said Minister Dombrowsky. "This project demonstrates that we are on the side of families in rural Ontario."

"Thanks to the support of the federal and provincial governments, we can now take the steps necessary to ensure safe drinking water for the residents who depend on our municipal water system," said Mayor Brown.

This is one of a series of matching federal and provincial investments to help municipalities protect the health and safety of their residents through essential infrastructure projects, totalling over $1.3 billion to date in Ontario. A large number of these projects will ensure municipalities can supply residents with clean, safe drinking water.

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Contacts:
Drew Brown
Mayor of the Town of Orangeville
519-941-0440

Dave McLeod
Communications Branch
519-826-3198

Shireen Badhwar
Industry Canada
416-952-4083