RESERVE MINES, NOVA SCOTIA--(Marketwired - Oct 28, 2016) - Public Services and Procurement Canada

Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, Rodger Cuzner, announced today, on behalf of the Honourable Judy M. Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the completion of an expanded passive mine water treatment facility in Reserve Mines, Nova Scotia.

Valued at $6.1 million, the expansion of the Neville Street facility allows for the collection and treatment of up to 19,000 litres of acidic raw mine water per minute, originating from 10 interconnected former underground coal mines in Glace Bay, Dominion and Reserve Mines.

Previously, the first phase of the facility, built in 2009, could treat only up to 7,000 litres of mine water per minute.

The passive mine water treatment system involves the use of settling ponds, aeration equipment, a mixing solution that neutralizes the acidity, and engineered wetlands to filter the remnant metal particles from the water, before it is released into the environment. A bi-weekly sampling and analysis program is conducted throughout the year to ensure discharged water meets Canadian fresh water aquatic guidelines.

The passive treatment facility in Reserve Mines is one of four passive treatment sites located in former mining communities throughout the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) also manages a state-of the-art active mine water treatment plant in the community of New Victoria. In total, these facilities treat six billion litres of acidic mine water every year to ensure that it poses no risk to the environment.

PSPC's Cape Breton Operations team earned two Canadian Consulting Engineering awards in 2014 for its innovative approach to mine water treatment.

Quotes

"This important work is part of the Government of Canada's strong commitment to protecting our environment. I commend the department's staff in Cape Breton for putting in place an innovative made-in-Cape-Breton solution to a unique challenge, ensuring our environment is protected for future generations of Canadians."

The Honourable Judy M. Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement

"Not only does this project serve to protect the environment, it has also benefited the local Cape Breton economy. Since the original passive treatment facility in Reserve Mines was constructed in 2009, approximately $9 million has been spent on planning, design, construction, environmental effects monitoring, and landscaping, the majority of which has been invested in our local communities."

Rodger Cuzner, Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso

Related Products

Fact Sheet: Neville Street Passive Mine Water Treatment Facility, Reserve Mines, Nova Scotia

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