RCCAO video calls for municipal water-infrastructure fund
A new video issued by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) calls on the federal government to establish a fund to help municipalities fix leaky pipes and crumbling sewers.
Water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure is considered by many to be out of sight and out of mind—until such assets fail. When they do, says the video, Ontario municipalities bear significant repair costs.
“A burst watermain or sewage overflow quickly reminds us of how dependent we are on these critical systems. We must ensure that these systems are kept in a state of good repair,” says RCCAO executive director Nadia Todorova.
The alliance is calling for a municipal water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure fund to be established that would provide money to municipalities so they can repair their systems.
It’s no secret that much of Ontario’s underground infrastructure is old—with much of it operating well past its expected service life. Failing to fix those pipes and sewers can lead to drinking water contamination, sewage backups and increase in flooding.
RCCAO points to the inefficiency associated with drinking water lost due to pipe failures. It also points to the ongoing use of combined sewers in large urban centres which can direct billions of litres of untreated sewage being released into municipal waterways every year.
A 2009 study funded by RCCAO and conducted by the University of Toronto found that up to 25 percent of all drinking water in Toronto is lost due to pipe leakage. The same study estimated that 30 percent of the energy used to pump the water could be saved if leakage is addressed, resulting in savings of more than $700 million per year.
The alliance says that a federal water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure fund provided to municipalities would enhance local economic development and create jobs. It estimates that for every $1 billion invested in water infrastructure construction, 11,500 direct jobs and 47,000 indirect jobs would be created.
It adds that such a fund would also dovetail with the federal government’s stated goal of building climate-resilient infrastructure, as fixing leaking pipes reduces energy consumption and diminishes greenhouse gas emissions.
“Ontario’s population is expected to grow by more than 30 per cent by 2041 which will strain infrastructure and have the potential to result in system failures,” says Todorova. “When infrastructure is unable to cope, it can cost billions of dollars in property and environmental damage and significantly disrupt people’s lives. We need a clear path forward that plans for replacement of these essential infrastructure systems.”