The Burns Lake community has received funding from both the federal and provincial government.
It has received $3.5 million in funding for the Investing in Infrastructure Program. The federal government gave $1,920,000 and the province gave $1,599,840. The funding was added to $1,280,160 from local governments to complete the 4.8 million dollar projects.
The program is for environmental quality for the construction of the water treatment plant. The plant will improve water for residents of Burns Lake, Burns Lake Band IR 18 and Lake Babine Nation’s Woyenne Reserve.
Mayor Dolores Funk said the water treatment will remove the high levels of manganese that is currently in their water supply.
“This water treatment plant will remove 100 % of the manganese, our levels are .35 milligrams per liter and earlier this year Health Canada changed their guidelines to safe drinking water standard to .12 milligrams of manganese, so this will allow Burns Lake to meet those requirements,” said Mayor Funk.
According to Funk manganese is known to be unsafe for babies and toddlers.
She said that it is a big deal for the community.
“Just having safer drinking water in the village is a huge benefit also benefits Burns Lake Band and Lake Babine Nation who we supply water to as well,” said Funk.
This is the communities first water treatment plant and construction have already begun.