Charlottetown buys land for more water

The City of Charlottetown has taken an important step in securing a new source of drinking water, purchasing 76 hectares of land in Miltonvale Park.

The land is just north of the city limits, along the Malpeque Road. City utility manager Craig Walker said the Miltonvale Park land could provide the city with 4,000 litres of water per minute.

"The land is a critical piece to advancing [the water supply]," said Walker.

The city paid the Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown about $400,000 for the land, said Walker, but developing the water source will cost much more. The city will need to spend $16 million to complete the project.

"Definitely the funding to proceed is a fairly major hurdle to get across," said Walker.

If the funding can be secured, Walker said water could start flowing through city taps within three years.