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Charlotte water system's last phase ready to go

The last phase of Queen Charlotte's water system is ready to go this summer. The village has tendered the construction of a control structure at Stanley Lake, the headwaters of the Honna River.Queen Charlotte's chief administrative officer Bill Beamish said the structure will be used to hold water at the annual high water level."This allows us to hold water back for release in summer if necessary," he said.The structure is not a dam, he said, as it will allow for a steady release of water into the river. But holding water in the lake will help ensure there is adequate water for fish and for the community in dry summers.Maintaining the structure means the village will also maintain the road to Stanley Lake, which will be accessible for other uses. The village must also upgrade the bridge at kilometre 4.9, in order to allow heavy equipment to cross.The project is funded through a $400,000 Towns for Tomorrow grant, which was matched with $100,000 of municipal funds. Some of this amount has already been spent on engineering work, Mr. Beamish said. The project was supposed to include a run-of-river micro-hydro component that would create power, but Mr. Beamish said that piece of the project has proved to be too costly. The village will instead incorporate a heat recovery program at the water treatment facility. "We'll be using the pump's heat to heat the plant itself," he said.The construction work on the Stanley Lake control structure can only take place during the June 15 to August 15 fish window. Bids are due in by April 27.