From the City of Portage Council minutes from April 28th 2008 regarding the upgrading of the Water Pollution Control Facility to achieve nutrient removal prior to discharge of the treated wastewater into the Assiniboine River.

• The proposed implementation schedule indicates that design would begin in 2009 with construction beginning in 2013, however, the schedule is greatly dependent upon the City obtaining grants from the Provincial and Federal governments, and on negotiations with industry.
• The cost estimate to implement nutrient removal and solids handling at the WPCF is in the order of $35 million to $40 million, in 2008 dollars. At the current construction cost escalation rate of 15% per year, the cost of the work is estimated to be in the order of $70 million to $80 million by 2013. Council has included $20 million in the debt management plan for this project.

If the City has maxed out their borrowing limits in 2008 to pay for the Multiplex, where are they going to find 20 million dollars by 2013 ? And how much will the RM be on the hook ?