OSWCA Applauds the Government of Ontario for its Commitment to Significantly Improve Municipal Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 14, 2016 /CNW/ - The Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association (OSWCA) would like to commend Premier Kathleen Wynne and Minister of Infrastructure Bob Chiarelli for their efforts to reach an agreement with the federal government on the Clean Water and Wastewater Fund. The funding commitments announced today will go a long way towards helping municipalities address a portion of the backlog of project work and maintenance on their water and wastewater infrastructure.

"Water and waste-water infrastructure has been particularly underfunded in previous decades and has fallen into a state of disrepair in many municipalities across the province. We applaud the Wynne government's recognition of this fact and its commitment to begin closing this municipal water and wastewater infrastructure deficit," said OSWCA Executive Director Giovanni Cautillo. "We look forward to continuing our work with the Government, maintaining and expanding water and waste-water infrastructure to ensure clean water continues to flow to Ontario residents and waste-water is appropriately taken care of."

Dedicating funds specifically to sewer and watermain infrastructure has been a focal point of OSWCA's advocacy efforts, particularly following the Spring launch of its updated water study, Bringing Sustainability to Ontario's Water Systems: A quarter-century of progress with much left to do.

"OSWCA has been working to inform federal, provincial, and municipal decision-makers about the significant water and wastewater infrastructure deficit in the province and the risks that come with allowing this deficit to continue to grow," said OSWCA President Sam Morra. "Today's funding announcement demonstrates that our message is being heard at all levels of government, as they come together to begin addressing this critical deficit."

OSWCA will continue to work with the government and other stakeholder groups to address water and waste-water infrastructure issues, particularly those related to standardizing how municipalities grade the condition of their infrastructure assets and moving municipal water and wastewater systems on to more sustainable financial footing through the implementation of full-cost recovery pricing.

The OSWCA is the voice of the sewer and watermain industry in the province, representing over 800 companies across Ontario including contractors, manufacturers, and distributors who build, supply, and service the sewer and watermain construction sector. To learn more about the OSWCA go to www.oswca.org. 

SOURCE Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association

Patrick Mcmanus, [email protected], 416-898-4744