BY JOHN CHICK Special to the VOICE
Days could be numbered for the water tank that towers over the Lookout neighbourhood, similar to a backyard barbecue scene in the 1999 cult movie classic, “Office Space.”
Niagara Region announced last week that it is undertaking a Class Environmental Assessment for a new Pelham elevated water storage tank and associated transmission system upgrades.
An assessment contractor has been hired via Request for Proposal (RFP), but it’s premature to say where any new water tower would be located.
“It’s a really big project, but it’s very early,” Tara Clayton, Project Manager for Water and Wastewater Services with the Region, told the Voice. “We don’t have the preferred location yet.”
Clayton said that because space around the existing water tower is limited, using the same site for a new tank is unlikely. Any old water tank must remain in service until after a new one is operable.
The Lookout tank went into service behind the fire hall in the 1980s, replacing a previous unit on Highland Avenue in Fonthill. A subdivision was later built directly north of the tower.
According to a media release, Niagara Region recently updated its Water and Wastewater Master Servicing Plan, and the project is part of recommended improvements to the Pelham water system.
“The purpose of the study is to address adequate storage, pressure, and capacity to support growth,” the release said. “The Region will look at the existing water system to identify any necessary improvements and impacts that the construction of the tank may have on all potential sites.”
Clayton encourages residents to attend public information seminars on the project, planned for the fall. Further updates will follow. The environmental assessment is expected to be complete next February.