Iqaluit to look at backup options for Apex water pumping station
City to pay $20,000 for Nunami Stantec to explore Unnamed Lake as possible backup pumping station
The city is looking to Nunami Stantec Ltd. to explore Unnamed Lake as a backup water pumping option to Apex water pumping station, which pumps water into the Iqaluit’s Lake Geraldine water reservoir, seen here. (File photo by Jim Bell)
Iqaluit’s city council wants a local engineering company to look at options to supplement the city’s water supply toward the end of the summer season.
At its meeting Tuesday, council voted to spend $20,000 to have Nunami Stantec Ltd. look at backup options for the Apex water pumping station. One possibility is to use Unnamed Lake, also known as Qikiqtalik Lake.
The current station pumps water from Apex River to the city’s water reservoir, Lake Geraldine.
“In the past years, we’ve noticed that towards the end of the pumping season around August or September, the water levels of the [Apex] river dropped significantly low,” said Tamilore Adeleke, the city’s acting director of engineering and capital planning.
Citing an example from last year, she said the city had to ask the Nunavut Water Board for an amendment to its water licence so the city could pump from Unnamed Lake because of low water levels. In the end, enough rain came so additional water pumping was not necessary.
The city also went through this process in 2019.
Adeleke said that having a contingency plan helps “make sure that everything is aligned and in place.”
“If we do have to take that extra step, we [won’t be] scrambling,” she said.
Acting director of engineering and capital planning Tamilore Adeleke said the reason for looking at Unnamed Lake as a backup pumping station is to have a contingency plan ready if needed. (Photo by David Lochead)
Stantec will study what is needed to create a backup pumping station at Unnamed Lake, including licensing, amendments, and equipment such as pumps or generators.
The city is looking for approval now in order to reduce the risk of missing the summer window to procure pumping equipment in 2024. If that window is missed, equipment may need to be delivered through air travel at a higher cost, according to the proposal.
The City of Iqaluit is also set to embark on a multimillion-dollar upgrade to its water system, thanks to federal funding that was announced in April 2022. Part of that project includes a second reservoir.
Y’all kidding me Nunavut and iqaluit stop
Wasting taxpayers money ?
We could solve our water issues if the HTO didn’t ignorantly and unilaterally oppose taking from the sylvia grinnell. 1% of its flow taken could sustain the town for 50 years including its growth.
“But the char”… listen 1% is not a lot and if water levels are low they shut off the pumps to ensure enough water for the fish. Pretty simple. Blame HTO
Wasn’t there already a pre-feasibility study a couple of years ago by Stantec on pumping water from Qikiqtalik Lake to Lake Geraldine?
the city of iqaluit needs to stop hiring city planners from outside of nunavut and hire from within the community. someone whos lived here for decades will know more about where subdivisions should go and water should come from that a toronto student that gets hired for the paper title he posesses. and then we end up spending money on things people here in iqaluit already know and buildings with no parking becuase they dont account for snow piles and snow removal. Hire locally and help yourselves and this town out! who is it that actually makes these decisions at the city. i would like to meet them and tell them how incompetent they are at their job. They should resign!
Yes and I don’t think the city has never had internship programs to encourage to hire locally. There is so much heritage and history locals may come in and know about. Either Inuit or non-Inuit ( doubt they would strongly believe in article 23 anyway). The city is run by completely by outsiders now. Hope they consider putting this as a priority .
They need to update their salaries and benefits to compete with other governments.
These projects require people with education, experience and expertise in the subject matter. “Living within the community” does not apply to any of the above. Where someone is from is irrelevant. What matters is their knowledge & experience.
But thats the problem Umingmak, they may have education but they also have no idea how the north works in general. This place is a different world completely compared to down south.