Public Invited to Ribbon Cutting of New Water Facility

The Town of St, Marys’ new water storage reservoir and booster pumping station quietly came online on May 21, 2019. Now, Mayor Al Strathdee and Chief Administrative Officer Brent Kittmer – along with facility designers and operators – are proud to invite the public to a ribbon cutting followed by an open house on June 12, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. at 55 St. George Street North.

The original St. Marys Water Works was constructed in 1899. Primarily featured on St. George Street North, the wells and pumping system sat in the newly constructed Water Works building (west building) at the foot of St. George North, along the southern edge of Trout Creek. Water was pumped from this facility to the now iconic water tower atop the Queen Street hill. At the time, 7.3 km of cast iron watermain and 53 fire hydrants were installed for public use and fire protection. In 1901, the easterly building was constructed on the site to act as a power plant, being later converted to a reservoir in 1911 and after years of use found renewed life as a renovated water treatment building in 2005. The iconic water tower served the Town for approximately 90 years and was eventually replaced for use in the water system by the current tower on Victoria Street in 1987.

After 120 years of operations, replacements and expansions, the system now includes approximately 60 km of watermain and close to 300 fire hydrants as well as the brand-new facility boasting a capacity of 1,600 cubic metres, which almost doubles the Town’s access to available, treated drinking water.

Located mere metres from the original water works buildings on St. George Street North, the new facility was designed to replicate the original Water Works building in style and feel and pay homage to the history and heritage of the property, while incorporating modern water storage, pumping and operational technologies into the system.

Please join us as we celebrate the opening of this new facility that pays tribute to the past while becoming an integral fixture of the water system for years to come.

Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Time: Ribbon cutting at 9:00 a.m.; open house afterwards until 10:00 a.m.
Location: 55 St. George Street North

- 30 -

Contact

Dave Blake, C.E.T. | Environmental Services Supervisor
Phone: 519-284-2340 ext. 209 | Email: dblake@town.stmarys.on.ca