Houston District council voted Tuesday to re-apply for a grant that would cover the cost of building a new water treatment facility.
If approved, the district would receive a one-time grant for $4.2 million—enough to design and build a facility that can filter iron and manganese from Houston’s water system.
Funded by the federal gas tax, the grant has about $33 million in available funding and is open to all local governments outside Greater Vancouver. Last year, the grant funded projects ranging from a $22,500 energy use plan in Chilliwack to a $16-million project to revamp Victoria’s Johnston Street bridge.
To be successful, grant applications must be either regional in scope or show innovative ways to improve sustainability.
In its re-submission, the district will stress how much water usage can be saed if Houston residents no longer have to flush toilets and run taps to clear their water of minerals build-up. The submission also includes building plans that meet the LEED environmental certification standard.