Officials in Boissevain hope to start work on a new lagoon in 2022 but right now that isn’t a guarantee.

Boissevain-Morton plans to build a new lagoon north of town near the landfill.

Head of Council Judy Swanson says they never thought the process would be so slow. “Once we get licensed then the grants will hopefully be there for us. We are doing the best we can. We’re moving forward and we hope to start work this year but if no for sure in the spring of 2023.”

The project is expected to cost $10 million.

“We hope to land a third-third-third grant which would be great financially for us. If not we’d have to apply for a provincial grant but it only covers 50 per cent. That makes things more difficult if that’s the way we have to go.”

Swanson is also worried all the delays will result in costs going up. “We look forward to this moving forward and it has to move forward because we have to have a new lagoon.”

The new lagoon will be constructed near the landfill and the existing lagoon south of Boissevain will be decommissioned.

“That’s a whole process in itself and it’s all part of the project. We have to empty it and all the land around will have to be decommissioned which is another cost. It’s part of the process and our licensing” said Judy Swanson.