SUNDRE – Although an estimated timeline to complete the long-awaited upgrade to the municipality’s wastewater treatment facility remains elusive, the project is reportedly progressing.
“There are still a few regulatory requirements, such as a notification period, submission of the final package and a few other small items,” Linda Nelson, chief administrative officer, told council during a departmental report presented during a meeting last month.
“But we’re getting close to the finish,” said Nelson.
Mandatory upgrades are required to be in place by the end of this year to meet updated provincial effluent standards.
“This is an extremely complicated project which required us to use a staged approach as a risk management strategy,” she said.
Proceeding with upgrades using more conventional and established methods would have cost far more than the newer technology that has already successfully completed a one-year testing phase, she said.
The upgrade will not replace the existing three-cell sewage lagoon, but rather enhance the facility through the use of a treatment process called electroflocculation that does not use chemicals, membranes or filters thereby substantially reducing operational costs compared with other mechanical systems.
Sundre’s wastewater treatment facility also services residents throughout the region around town year-round as well as surrounding seasonal users for about four to five months of the year.
“As of today, we have submitted the final test report to Alberta Environment, which exceeds expectations,” Nelson said, adding the results were “well below the limits imposed on the town under new authorization.”
Piping and Instrumentation Diagram designs stamped and signed by Soneera’s engineer will also be included in the final submission to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, she said.
Following Nelson’s presentation, council carried a motion accepting the departmental reports for information.
“The lagoon is exciting,” said mayor Richard Warnock.
“I can’t say I’ve enjoyed every meeting we’ve went to on the lagoon because sometimes it gets a little more frustrating than we want it to be,” he said.
“But we’re so close to having this approved in Alberta. It will be a first and there are many municipalities in southern Alberta and central Alberta that are waiting for that approval because they intend to jump on the bandwagon for this type of technology.”
