Ontario commits $30 million for Cornwall's secondary water intake

Ontario will provide $30 million through the MHIP-HSWS to fund a secondary water intake for Cornwall, addressing vulnerability in the city's 65-year-old gravity-fed intake.

Ontario has committed $30 million to help Cornwall build a secondary intake for its municipal water supply through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program's Health and Safety Water Stream. Cornwall council applied for the program's maximum funding last summer. The city's single intake is a gravity-fed pipe about 65 years old. Reports note that the intake's age has left the water supply vulnerable to outages that could affect residents and fire services for several days in an emergency. Key facts: - The province committed $30 million through the MHIP-HSWS, which is the maximum amount available under the program. - Cornwall council applied last summer for funding toward construction of a secondary municipal water intake. - The current intake is a single, gravity-fed pipe that is approximately 65 years old. - The intake's vulnerability has been reported as creating a risk of multi-day loss of water access for residents and fire services in an emergency. - Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry MPP Nolan Quinn had expressed support for provincial funding for the project and helped announce the commitment. Summary: The funding is meant to support construction of a secondary intake to reduce the risk associated with Cornwall's aging main intake and to strengthen the city's water supply resilience. Undetermined at this time.