Ottawa, Ontario, December 3, 2010 – Residents of Ottawa will benefit from increased control of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) and discharge into the Ottawa River thanks to an unprecedented investment by federal, provincial and municipal governments.
Representatives from all levels of government today celebrated the commissioning of Real Time Control (RTC) technology, which has been implemented at all sewer regulators as part of a larger project to improve Ottawa's wastewater management and decrease CSOs into the Ottawa River.
Funding for this project is being provided as part of a broader $100-million Ottawa River initiative funded equally by all three levels of government.
"The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of safe, clean, and trustworthy wastewater systems," said John Baird, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Ottawa West – Nepean. "Using advanced technology, as well as planning and monitoring capabilities, the City will be well equipped to protect the Ottawa River from sewer overflow for years to come."
"The McGuinty Government is proud to be a partner in helping clean up the Ottawa River, contributing to better water quality and preventing future sewer overflow, making it safer for those Ontarians living near the historic waterway," said Phil McNeely, Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa-Orleans.
Working in cooperation with our federal and provincial partners, the City is making real progress, significantly reducing overflows into the Ottawa River," said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. "There is a plan in place to eliminate all overflows. This is a priority that is supported by our City Council and our communities."
RTC technology will reduce the frequency of CSOs into the Ottawa River by enabling the City of Ottawa to continuously monitor the flow of stormwater and wastewater. The technology will also allow for the remote activation of specialized equipment installed in the city's sewer system.
Since 2007, the governments of Canada and Ontario have committed more than $13 billion in funding to over 6,400 infrastructure projects across the province.
For additional information about investments in infrastructure, visit www.creatingjobs.gc.ca.
For further information about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
For more information on how Ontario is revitalizing its infrastructure, visit
ontario.ca/infrastructure.
Contacts:
Office of John Baird, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
613-990-7720
Harold Mellish
Office of MPP Phil McNeely
613-834-8679
City of Ottawa Media Relations
613-580-2450
City of Ottawa Public inquiries
3-1-1
Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148 or toll-free 1-877-250-7154
The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Ottawa today celebrated the commissioning of the City of Ottawa's Real Time Control (RTC) system.
RTC is an electro-mechanical system that permits the remote activation and control of overflow equipment in sewer regulators located underground throughout the city. The system also enables city officials to continuously monitor pipe flow data in order to maximize the capture and treatment of wastewater flow.
A combined sewer is a type of sewer system that collects wastewater and stormwater runoff in a single pipe system. Using RTC technology, the city is able to monitor pipes collecting wastewater from combined sewers, and can determine what the flow is at all times. City officials can then control gates to make sure that their efforts have maximized the capacity of the pipes before any sewer overflows are released to the river.
These improvements are expected to reduce combined sewer overflow volumes by more than 60 per cent per year.
