Water, water everywhere! Georgina builds new public potable-water tap

New public water tap being constructed at Sutton Arena; Georgina eyes tap at Ice Palace

Yorkregion.com
June 13, 2023
Amanda Persico

The town is laying the pipework for a new public water tap at Sutton Arena, which is expected to open in the coming weeks.

At the same time, the town is moving forward with upgrades to the public water tap on Black River Road and is working toward opening another new tap in Keswick.

The plan is to make access to clean, potable water easier, safer and more accessible for everyone, said Mayor Margaret Quirk.

“We understand the importance of having public water taps in our community,” she said. “And the need some of our residents have for clean, potable water.”

In 2021, the town closed three of the four public water taps due to potential backflow and contamination concerns.

The public tap located on Black River Road, just east of Park Road, was retrofitted with backflow prevention valve and remains open.

Work on the public water tap at the Sutton Arena is currently underway and is expected to be complete in the coming weeks.

The new tap, featuring two wall-mounted, tamper-proof taps at varying heights, will be located at the front of the building, south of the main doors.

Once the public tap at the Sutton Arena is up and running, the town will close the Black River Road tap for upgrades.

Some of the upgrades planned for the public water tap on Black River Road include: a new base structure; new lighting and security cameras; tamper-proof taps at varying heights; reconstructed access off Black River Road to provide protected on-street parking; reduced speed limits in the area; and fencing to create a windbreak and a defined space.

The town is also looking at a public water tap location in Keswick at either the Georgina Ice Palace or upgrading the currently closed public tap on Boyers Road west of Pine Post Road. The Ice Palace is the top contender for the Keswick public tap location, as there is much of the needed infrastructure in place, such as lighting, parking, security and staffing.

Commercial users, such as landscaping companies, or those requiring more than 100 litres can purchase water at the bulk water station at the Environmental Services Yard on Civic Centre Road.

For more information, visit georgina.ca/WaterandWastewater.