An eastern Ontario township has signed a deal that will provide its residents with water treated by the neighbouring City of Ottawa.

The agreement, signed by Russell Township Mayor Ken Hill and Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien Wednesday, means that residents in the township's communities of Russell, Embrun, Limoges and Marionville will no longer have to rely on chlorinated groundwater.

Instead, they will sip water from the Ottawa River, filtered and treated with ammonia, chlorine and fluoride.

That's something that even some residents within city limits can't access. Communities such as Vars, Richmond and Carp rely on the city's four groundwater wells.

In exchange for the new water supply, Russell Township residents will pay City of Ottawa water rates.

The project, which includes construction of a 28-kilometre pipeline, will cost $13 million, and will be funded by a cost-sharing agreement between the township, the province and the federal government.

At a news conference Wednesday, both mayors said the agreement will benefit their communities.

"We get to help our good neighbour in need," said O'Brien. "And Mr. Hill's community can grow and prosper, and more importantly the citizens of Russell Township are guaranteed the safe drinking water that every citizen of Ontario has a right to expect."

Hill said this type of deal is what government is about.

"I couldn't be more proud to be sharing two borders with the city of Ottawa, and I hope it's the start of many partnerships," he said.

Ottawa villages still rely on wells

But not everyone gushed about the deal.

"It doesn't change the fact that there are villages within the city that need servicing," said Ottawa Coun. Rob Jellett, who represents Cumberland ward.

His ward includes Vars, a village that has a communal groundwater collection system, and Navan, a community that relies on private wells.

"The traditional way of thinking has always been that if you want water, you have to pay to bring it there," Jellett said. "And I can understand that point of view, but at the same time, I look and say, okay, what is the quality of the water in each of our villages, and what responsibility do we as a city have to make sure our residents have clean, potable water?"

Ottawa Coun. Clive Doucet, who represents Capital Ward, said the deal with Russell Township makes no sense considering the water situation in places like Vars and Navan.

"Villages within the boundaries of the city do not have city-piped water, but Russell's going to get it," he said. "It makes no sense in terms of our relationship with the province. The province is responsible for rural townships to make sure their water systems remain clean. And it makes no sense in terms of city management. I don't understand it at all."

Doucet issued a news release Tuesday calling the agreement "a new step in urban sprawl.

"It is the result of the inability of many rural areas to address pesticide and nutrient pollution of our groundwater," the release said. "By making Ottawa's water available to the township, there is no pressing need to deal with the root causes of groundwater pollution."