Rankin Inlet's water and sewer system is at a critical breaking point

A letter from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut Mayor says the community urgently needs its water and sewer infrastructure replaced. 

MLA for Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet, Alexander Sammurtok, tabled the letter in the legislature on March 9. 

The letter from Mayor Harry Towtongie says the utilidor system has reached critical capacity and has caused council to delay and even stop developments in the community. 

The letter says a 16-unit apartment complex near completion will likely sit empty because the Department of Community and Government services won't allow it to be hooked up to the sewer lines since the system is at max capacity. 

"Here will be 16 apartments, ready for occupancy; that will possibly end up sitting empty for some time in a community where housing supply is extremely short," Towtongie wrote in the letter. 

The letter says a total of 57 housing units are in development, with many being completed this fall, which will need to be hooked up to the utilidor. A new 26 lot subdivision is also ready to go to tender. 

"This doesn't even factor in the requirements of the long-term care facility or the new air terminal beginning construction this summer, nor does it factor in any other new development," the letter says. 

Along with the sewer system being stretched to capacity, the water system is also taxed and is unable to supply adequate flow of potable water for fire suppression, the letter continues. 

"If there is a fire, the hydrants won't be able to get enough pressure to fight the fire," Sammurtok told CBC News. 

Rankin Inlet's council has placed a three year moratorium on any new developments in the hamlet's old town neighbourhood because the Johnson Cove lift station is at maximum capacity, though it is scheduled to to be upgraded this summer. 

The letter says that replacing the utilidor system is council's number one priority. 

"No other project ranks higher," the mayor wrote in the letter. 

The Government of Nunavut's Appropriations Capital Act has set aside $7.4 million to start replacing Rankin Inlet's utilidor system. 

To replace the whole utilidor system it will cost at least $15 million, David Joanasie, Minister of Community and Government Services, said during committee of the whole

He said the government will take a phased approach to replacing the infrastructure and once the first round of money is passed through this appropriation bill the government can start replacing the utilidor this summer.