Chatham-Kent is seeking provincial funding to help offset the cost of rehabilitating Wheatley’s water tower.
Municipal administration has recommended that Chatham-Kent apply to Ontario’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program — Health and Safety Water Stream to request funding for the Wheatley Elevated Tank rehabilitation project.
The provincial program supports projects that aim to protect communities by investing in the development, rehabilitation and expansion of core water, wastewater, stormwater, and water management, flood, and erosion infrastructure projects. If selected, the government will fund 73 per cent of a project’s cost, up to $30 million.
The Wheatley water tower, located at 351 Erie St. S, was originally constructed in 1966 and was re-coated in 1998.
The cost to rehabilitate the water tower is estimated at $3.5 million to $4.5 million. CK administration is currently working to update the cost estimate for the application.
The deadline to apply for funding is June 26, 2025. Construction on the water tower is slated to begin in early 2026.
Chatham-Kent has conducted multiple rehabilitation projects over the last several years to extend the lifespan of the municipality’s 10 elevated water storage tanks. So far, six water towers have been upgraded.
