NIVERVILLE, MAN. – The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) is loaning a combined up to $140 million to support five communities for water and wastewater infrastructure projects in Manitoba.

The provincial portion of the investment is over $71 million and will enable construction of new facilities which will deliver cleaner water and better wastewater treatment for approximately 78,000 housing units, a release said.

Investment commitments have been made with the City of Brandon and to the Red-Seine-Rat (RSR) Wastewater Co-operative, comprised of the Rural Municipality of Taché, Rural Municipality of Hanover, Rural Municipality of Ritchot, Town of Niverville and City of Brandon, the release said.

For the City of Brandon, the water treatment facility upgrade and expansion project will provide potable water that meets and exceeds the standards set by the Manitoba Office of Drinking Water and the southwest Brandon wastewater servicing project will help expand coverage of the existing wastewater processing facility to accommodate residential and commercial demand.

The RSR municipalities of Taché, Hanover, Ritchot and the Town of Niverville project will provide the communities with a new centralized wastewater treatment plant, moving away from traditional wastewater lagoons to mechanized wastewater treatment and will also include installation of a wastewater conveyance system with approximately 90 kilometres of effluent pipeline as well as new lift and pump stations.

The municipalities are further supported with funding from the Manitoba government and Infrastructure Canada through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

All water and wastewater infrastructure will continue to remain publicly owned and operated by the municipalities, who remain responsible for the delivery of these essential projects, the release said.