As co-operation goes, a water and wastewater project in Turin to the tune of almost $5 million is not to be taken lightly.
Co-operation between three levels of government with the federal, provincial and local county all sharing in a third of the project, will soon make it possible for residents of the hamlet to not only enjoy both a reliable water and wastewater system but also benefit from increased fire protection.
The project includes the installation of fire hydrants, which will provide residents with another level of protection in addition to emergency response provided by the Picture Butte and District Emergency Services.
If you consider the current water and wastewater systems in Turin, it begs the question why it has taken so long for the project to be undertaken. The answer is easy — the cost.
With only about 100 current residents to help foot the municipal portion of the bill, the overall cost of the upgrades were always too cost prohibitive for the County of Lethbridge to undertake. Through a three-pronged funding agreement, the federal and provincial governments are both picking up a third of the cost, which leaves the county and the residents of Turin to cover the final third.
This type of co-operation has been fostered at the provincial and federal government levels over the last decade and continues to benefit local residents as project that may never have been completed, or would have taken years longer to see the light of day, are now being completed. Instead of just throwing government grants around, all levels of government are working together to ensure projects that will benefit communities right away and in the future are tackled in a responsible manner.
While some may argue that $5 million is a lot to spend on one small hamlet, the facts remain that without this project, the safety and health of Turin residents would be compromised.
Without upgrades to its infrastructure, it was highly unlikely the community would have seen any growth over the next decade, but with the new water and wastewater systems in place, there is now potential for expanded residential development in and around the hamlet.
Residents have worked hard to build a new community centre and are eager to see what the future holds for their rural community now that they have modern and reliable infrastructure to build on.