The municipality of Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets in Centre-du-Québec is going green thanks to an $18 million envelope intended for the repair of its wastewater infrastructure.
“We wanted to take a much more environmental turn. Obviously, there are costs associated with that,” explained Nicolet-Bécancour MP Donald Martel.
The envelope thus includes construction, expansion and infrastructure repair work. In less than two years, a treatment plant and three pumping stations will be installed to purify wastewater before discharging it into the St. Lawrence River.
The work has just started.
“Currently, 100% of the water is discharged into the river. It doesn’t make sense. In this way, the water will be treated like in all the other municipalities, ”assured the mayor of Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets, Éric Dupont.
In addition, obsolete pipes will be replaced, and the sewer network will be extended to connect some twenty additional residences. “There is a section of Route 132 that had no services. Now we have been able to include this section in the work,” added the mayor.
The Ministère des Transports has invested an additional $5.5 million for the repair of routes 132 and 218. The amount includes work for the structure of the roadway over 2.3 kilometers, the replacement of the storm sewer and the paving .
“The entire stormwater network is obsolete, it will have to be changed. When we open the roads, obviously, after that, we have to rebuild them. It affects a good part of the 132, a good part of the 218. This is where the ministry provides its collaboration, “said the deputy.
Interesting spinoffs
It is also an opportunity for Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets to prepare to welcome future workers from the Bécancour industrial park. To take advantage of the investments announced this week, community development is necessary.
“We have a business opportunity. Municipalities can make themselves beautiful and attractive to attract young families, young people who will go to work there,” said Donald Martel.
But the municipality is not ready to welcome new households in large numbers. It is that acquiring residential land is particularly difficult.
“We have residential land that we could use, but they are in wetlands. There are monetary compensations that must be made and these are compensations that are outrageous, so I hope that we will have government assistance to move forward, ”replied Éric Dupont.
The community of just over a thousand inhabitants is modernizing and hopes that its more eco-responsible model will be attractive to people from outside.
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com