After almost an hour-and-a-half discussion, Grey Highlands council passed a motion Wednesday to receive a report on replacing both treatment systems at the Kimberley-Amik-Talisman (KAT) Water Treatment Plant.
According to the report, the KAT plant is operating at roughly 17 to 21 percent capacity, which meets current demand. However, due to aging equipment, the facility can only reliably achieve about 75 percent of its design capacity.
The assessment also found deterioration in key components, including corrosion, outdated chemical dosing systems, and unused infrastructure that should be removed.
Presented with three options, council voted 4-3 to receive a report favouring Option 3, which includes a full replacement of both treatment systems, the coagulant and polymer dosing systems, and a new motor control centre.
The estimated cost would be $3 million. No final decision’s been made by council yet.
Mayor Paul McQueen and Councillors Tom Allwood, Dan Wickens, and Tom Allen voted in favour of the motion.
Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen and Councillors Nadia Dubyk and Joel Loughead opposed it, raising concerns about the project’s price tag and community pushback regarding high water bills.