After four years in the works, a new sewage treatment plant in Halifax is finally running.
The plant has been taking wastewater from the north end of the city for about two weeks. Sometime this week, waste from the south end will flow to the facility.
Though the project has to pass a 30-day test period, regional council celebrated Tuesday night.
Municipal staff told council the plant is already making a difference, with essentially no sewage going into the basin.
"Because of the high turnover of water in the harbour, we expect to see results very quickly," said Brad Anguish, the manager who has shepherded the harbour cleanup project for the past four years.
The Harbour Solutions project was implemented to stop more than 180 million litres of untreated sewage and storm wastewater from flowing into Halifax Harbour every day.
Anguish said the total project is 75 per cent complete and is forecast to come in below its $330-million projected budget.
Staff have started monitoring the water quality of the harbour. They expect it to improve rapidly, especially once the Dartmouth treatment plant begins operating next spring.
Coun. Linda Mosher is already talking about swimming in the harbour next summer.
"I have to take former mayor Walter Fitzgerald down with me for a dip," she said.
Coun. Gloria McCluskey wanted to acknowledge another milestone reached this month: the final increase on the water bill to help pay for the project.
"I want to again thank all the residents who are paying the bill," McCluskey said.
The third treatment plant in Herring Cove is expected to be ready about a year from now.
The harbour cleanup project has been in the works for four years.
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