Advertisement 1

MD council briefed on Beaver Mines Water and Wastewater Project

Article content

The Beaver Mines Water and Wastewater Project is still awaiting further studies and grant funding before construction can begin.

According to director of operations, Leo Reedyk, tenders for the water project that will bring water to the hamlet and continue through to Castle Mountain Resort are expected to be released by next month.

During the regular meeting of the MD council on June 13, Reedyk told councillors that pre-qualification processes for contractors are set to close on Friday, June 26.

“We would go through the contractors who applied for the two different pre-qualifications — one for pipeline and one for mechanical systems — confirm which contractors are qualified to bid on those projects and by early July, put out a tender,” he said.

MPE Engineering Ltd. presented two options found to be viable for the community of Beaver Mines. The first option is a conventional wastewater lagoon at the Mill Creek site, while Alternative 2 is a regional sanitary force main that connects to the Cowley wastewater lagoons.

The decision of location is still with councillors, although Reedyk explained that the lagoon system at the Mill Creek site was recommended by the engineers.

Councillor Quentin Stevick voiced concerns he’s heard from constituents regarding the proposed location.

“I continue to get negative feedback from the people in that area about having a sewage lagoon in that area,” he said. “I mentioned before that I, personally — even if I wasn’t getting negative feedback from the people in that area — I don’t believe that is a good location.”

“I don’t believe it is the best long-term solution,” he continued. “The engineers can say what they want, but at the end of the day, the people that live in this MD live with those decisions.”

The MD has heard from concerned residents before including Cornell Van Ryk, who submitted two letters outlining his issues with the Mill Creek option.

“It’s no surprise that the lagoon is not palatable,” Van Ryk said during a delegate presentation in March.

MPE Engineering valued the Mill Creek option as the least expensive option in December 2016, with an estimated cost of approximately $3.74 million.

In Reedyk’s briefing, he noted that negotiations with landowners are ongoing and the pipeline route will be determined this month.

The water supply project will require plant upgrades, installation of pipes to the hamlet including a booster pump station along the route. A reservoir and re-chlorination unit are also required.

The reservoir, Reedyk explained, would contain a two-day supply of water with firefighting capabilities. He noted the ski hill has their own reservoir.

Completion of the water supply project is loosely scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2018. The water distribution and wastewater collection components, however, are not expected to be completed until 2018 or later.

This portion of the project requires the installation of pipes within the hamlet to connect residents to the water line while connecting to the wastewater treatment force main.

Meanwhile, the MD is still awaiting the results of a grant application for the third component of the project, the force main to the wastewater treatment lagoon system.

Meetings with landowners and area residents have been held to discuss concerns they may have regarding the location.

According to the briefing, council has yet to commission detailed designs for this portion of the project.

The MD received a grant of $448,832 from the Water for Life/Alberta Municipal Wastewater Partnership in July of last year.

They were also awarded $3 million from both the federal and provincial government through the Small Communities Fund — a grant that is shared three ways between all levels of government, including municipal.

In March the Government of Alberta announced they would be paving the gravel portion of Hwy. 774 to Castle Mountain Resort.

In that, they announced that the Beaver Mines water project would also be extended to service the new provincial parks and ski resort. 

Article content
Advertisement 2
Advertisement
Article content
Article content
Latest National Stories
    News Near Pincher Creek
      This Week in Flyers