As of February 4, the contract to construct an intermunicipal wastewater treatment plant has been awarded to Aecon Group Inc. The proposed site of the plant lies in Ritchot, just north of Niverville.

The oversight board for the project is the Red-Seine-Rat Wastewater Cooperative (RSRWC) Ltd., comprised of leadership from each participating municipality, including the town of Niverville and the RMs of Ritchot, Tache, and Hanover. More recently, La Broquerie and De Salaberry have joined.

According to the RSRWC, this contract covers the first phase of the project, which includes the multimillion plant itself.

Eventually, the addition of approximately 90 kilometres of effluent pipeline and new lift and pump stations will complete the project, connecting every municipal partner to the plant.

“I am pleased to see this next significant step taken towards the completion of our wastewater treatment facility,” says RSR board chair Jim Funk, who is also the reeve of Hanover. “With the construction contract awarded, I look forward to breaking ground for this project and the benefits it will bring to RSR’s member communities.”

The approximate 13 communities within the participating region are currently reliant on lagoon systems. This shared wastewater treatment plant is said to provide a much more sustainable and forward-thinking approach to wastewater management going forward.

It will not only service existing homes and businesses but provide additional capacity for at least 17,400 new housing starts across the region. Construction of the project is expected to provide around 3,400 jobs.

As of September 2025, an engineer estimated the project at $235 million. Various levels of government have kicked in funding for the project, leaving around $12 million to come out of taxpayers’ wallets.

Both Niverville and Ritchot will roll out sewer rate increases over the next three years to cover their municipal portion, beginning in 2026.