Collingwood council has given the all-clear for a UV light disinfection upgrade at the water treatment plant.
The system will increase the capacity of potable water output from the plant in the winter months, which would accommodate more growth between now and the plant expansion planned for 2025/26.
Currently, the maximum capacity of the plant in the winter is lower than in the summer months because cold water requires more contact time with chlorine and slows the output.
The town has enacted an interim control bylaw putting a stop to new home building permits with the exception of those approved by council through an application process. The measure was in response to the dwindling capacity at the water plant, and an indication that the remaining capacity would not cover the amount of growth projected for Collingwood over the next five years.
With the UV light upgrades slated to be installed by November 2022, the town estimates space for an additional 790 single dwelling units in growth based on water capacity.
UV light can be used to treat water by irradiating water flowing through a pipe to kill bacteria and organisms.
The installation would be an interim solution, but the reactors can be reused as part of the 2025/26 water treatment plant expansion project, as they are rated for higher capacity than the current plant can produce.
The total cost of installing the temporary system is between $1.2 and $1.6 million, with about $500,000 of that being the cost of the reactors.
Read more about the UV light upgrades and the town's water treatment plant here.
