Published: June 20, 2008 10:19 pm            

INFRASTRUCTURE: Cities look into sharing water

: $400K allows for feasibility analysis for shared water and wastewater system.

Officials from three cities gathered at the city’s water filtration plant Friday to announce plans for a potential joint venture.

Using a $400,000 state Shared Municipal Services Incentive grant, the cities of Lockport, Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda will look into the feasibility of consolidating water and wastewater operations between the three entities.

Gerry Grose, Niagara Falls Water Board executive director, said the three cities’ water treatment facilities all run on 50 percent capacity.

“We’re paying each community, in a sense, double what we should be,” Grose said. “I consider this a great opportunity.”

Conestoga-Rovers and Associates, an international engineering and environmental consulting firm, will perform the study.

The study will take between 12 and 18 months to complete, Lockport Mayor Michael Tucker said.

        

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