Milestone Achievement: Groundbreaking for new Wastewater Treatment Plant
In a momentous step toward enhancing environmental sustainability, Councils for the Town of Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County are celebrating the groundbreaking for a new wastewater treatment facility that will serve both Town and County residents.
Town of Rocky Mountain House Mayor Debbie Baich, Clearwater County Reeve Daryl Lougheed and councillors from both municipalities visited the construction site today for a ceremonial groundbreaking.
Councillor Len Phillips, left, Councillor Jordon Northcott, Councillor Sydney Graham, Mayor Debbie Baich, Councillor Shane Boniface, Reeve Daryl Lougheed, Councillor Dale Shippelt, Councillor Gennifer Mehlaff, Councillor Dave Auld, Councillor Marley Capraro and Councillor Neil Ratcliffe.
In response to evolving environmental regulations and the need for sustainable infrastructure, construction has begun on a state-of-the-art mechanical wastewater treatment facility at the existing wastewater treatment lagoon site.
This $30-million project will ensure compliance with stringent provincial and federal environmental standards and positions the Town to support anticipated growth over the coming decades.
The wastewater treatment facility will feature a cutting-edge sequencing batch reactor system, designed to accommodate an expected population of 9,000 residents, while also facilitating the processing of wastewater from Clearwater County properties.
In 2020, The Town of Rocky Mountain House was awarded $10,889,200 in funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (Rural and Northern Communities stream), delivered through Infrastructure Canada, toward the project. Additionally, the Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership Program, delivered through Alberta Transportation, is contributing an additional $9,073,426.
To guarantee the project’s success, the balance is cost-shared between the two municipalities, where the County will contribute 25.4% and the Town 74.6%, as per the Wastewater Treatment Capital Funding Agreement.
In an era where environmental conservation is paramount, this collaborative effort represents a significant stride toward safeguarding our natural surroundings and serving the needs of our ever-expanding community.
QUICK FACTS:
- Total project cost: $30,000,000.
- Approximately $20 million is coming from federal and provincial grants.
- The Town of Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County have signed a Wastewater Treatment Capital Funding Agreement to cost-share the remaining balance.
- The Town of Rocky Mountain House will contribute approximately $7.5 million, to be funded by reserves and debenture.
- Clearwater County will contribute approximately $2.7 million.
- The Wastewater Treatment Plant is expected to be commissioned in 2025.
- The facility will be staffed by two operators.
- The old lagoon will be decommissioned, and the three ponds will be used for water storage before the treated wastewater returns to the river.
