Major upgrades are on the way for the sewage plant in Antigonish.

The town says they have signed a $464,850 contract with CBCL, an Engineering and Environmental Design Services.

It is the first step in a $5.4 million project funded through the Municipal Capital Growth Program (MCGP).

Upgrades will include things like cutting down the cost of maintenance, efficiency, ridding of the odour and improving how things operate.

Details of the project include:

Desludging

The sewage plant is 50 years old and as of late, had major problems with a pungent odour in summer and fall months.

According to Randy Delorey, CAO of Antigonish, the smell got worse due to mostly to a bigger population and warmer weather.

To mitigate it, the Town went through a desludging process in the fall.

These upgrades are now the next step toward helping get rid of the odour and helping the plant run more efficiently.

More updates are coming soon.