New water tower set to boost pressure, allow growth for Nova Scotia communities

A new $2.9-million gravity-fed water storage tank is set for Nova Scotia’s Osprey Village in Lunenburg County, thanks to new provincial funding.

The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg and the Town of Bridgewater will both benefit from improved access to drinking water and better water flow for firefighting, according to statements from local officials.

“This investment will help meet long-term development and water demands for Osprey Village and surrounding areas,” announced Lunenburg West MLA Mark Furey, in a statement.

Lunenburg Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson noted that the new water tower will mean increased water pressure for the community, resolving a longstanding issue.

“It will also give us the ability to open up adjacent lands for serviced development, including a potential expansion of Osprey Village,” added Bolivar-Getson.

The federal contribution is more than $1.1 million, and each municipality is investing more than $380,000 in the water storage tank project. It is funded through the Green Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan.

In addition to the construction of the new 2,460 m³ gravity-fed water storage tank, associated infrastructure will also be built to connect into the existing system, officials said.

There are currently 124 water storage tanks in 88 different communities (and regional water systems) across the province, according to the Department of Environment and Conservation. A 2011 report by the province weighed the pros and cons of water storage tanks. Some of the benefits include: equalization of pumping rates and supply and demand; minimization of pressure variation during high consumption; and providing contact time for disinfectants to inactivate pathogens.

Some of the issues that can arise in tanks are: water quality deterioration; a mismatch between tank size and water demand; and excessive use of disinfection chemicals.

The water tower project in Osprey Village is expected to be built near Highway 103. It is currently in the design stage and should  be constructed by March 2022.

Luneburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2019, all levels of government joined to invest $1.5 million in revitalizing and enhancing the Big Boat Shed on Nova Scotia’s Lunenburg waterfront. It was the main boatbuilding facility of the Smith and Rhuland Shipyards, which opened in 1900.