Rural water projects get $131 million in grants

More than $131 million from the Water for Life and the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership grant programs will support 29 water infrastructure projects across the province. Once projects get underway, the investment will help sustain approximately 900 jobs.

The approved projects include a wastewater line from Sylvan Lake to Red Deer, with $37 million in provincial Water for Life grants. The line will handle wastewater from the Sylvan Lake region to meet the current and future needs of the community as it taps into its potential as a growing tourism destination.

“Anyone visiting this region on a sunny summer day will see throngs of people along the streets, in shops, at restaurants and at the beach. This is just one more example of how our government is investing in the infrastructure needed to build the economy here and across Alberta to help create jobs and to make life better for Albertans.”

Sylvan Lake Mayor Sean McIntyre noted the community’s need for a long-term wastewater solution is well documented.

“We’ve seen great support, understanding and patience from our residents, while we’ve worked toward connecting to the Red Deer Regional Wastewater System. Today we celebrate as a region, knowing we have the support of our provincial government for this important project. We look forward to a continued collaboration with our regional partners to ensure public and environmental health, while balancing the fiscal impact of doing so."

Members of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties that are receiving these critical water grants are also pleased the provincial government is addressing the needs of rural Albertans.

“Both the Water for Life and the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership programs are vital for the continued health and welfare of all Albertans. Programs such as these allow rural Albertans to know their municipal councils and the province have their well-being top of mind.”

Sylvan Lake Regional Wastewater Commission chair Thom Jewell said the project, with provincial support covering 90 per cent of the cost, means the local environment will be protected and residents won’t have to face the threat of water bans once the project is complete. The line is anticipated to be running in 2020.

“This provincial-regional collaboration represents a major step forward in the long-term protection of the Sylvan Lake watershed. This is not only good for the people across our region but also for today’s and tomorrow’s environment.”

Quick facts

• Budget 2017 invests $474 million in Water for Life and Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership grant programs over four years to support smaller communities and regional projects in rural Alberta.
• These projects are part of the government’s commitment to improve the quality of life for rural Albertans.
• Today, nearly $200 million is being invested in new and existing water projects, with more than $131 million from Alberta Transportation clean water and wastewater treatment grants:
  • 22 new water projects with total eligible costs of $194 million to be built in several provincial constituencies across most of Alberta, from Milk River (Cardston-Taber-Warner constituency) to Dixonville (Peace River constituency). The province will contribute more than $127 million for these projects.
  • Seven previously approved projects across southern Alberta communities that require additional funding, with total eligible costs of $5.4 million. The province will contribute $4.4 million for these cost revisions that are based on scope or cost changes.
  • This funding is over three years, based on the construction timelines of the projects. These are pay-on-progress programs.

Project guidelines are as follows:

Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP)

• AMWWP assists eligible Alberta municipalities with the construction of priority water supply and treatment and wastewater treatment and disposal facilities.
• Under AMWWP, grant levels start at 75 per cent up to a population of 1,000 and decline thereafter to “0” at 45,000.
• The program is available to:
  • cities with an official population under 45,000
  • towns
  • villages
  • summer villages
  • eligible hamlets within counties, municipal districts, Métis settlements, the Special Areas and improvement districts
  • regional commissions

Water for Life (W4L)

• Regionalization of water supply systems started in the 1960s in the Edmonton area. In 2004, Alberta Environment and Parks completed a comprehensive provincewide risk assessment report of municipal waterworks systems that identified options for communities, such as individual plant upgrades, regional water pipelines, remote facility monitoring and technical support and regional operational consortiums.

• There is a higher capital cost to implement regional systems but, in the long term, regional systems provide the best overall benefit.

• The W4L initiative was initiated in 2006 and is an ongoing program.
• The objective is to support the development of new regional water and wastewater systems under AMWWP that are more cost?effective and/or environmentally desirable than independent systems.
• The W4L strategy initiative is available only to new regional water or wastewater systems or to new extensions of existing regional water or wastewater systems (to service new customers).
• Commissions/municipalities are required to demonstrate the regional alternative is cost-effective and economically justified compared to alternative facility solutions. Environmental requirements, efficiencies in management and operational practices are also taken into account. Pipelines for new regional systems (water or wastewater) are funded at 90 per cent.

Below are the June 1, 2017 approved projects and a funding breakdown (Some amounts are rounded):

New Water for Life (W4L) projects

Municipality	Grant Description	Eligible Project Cost	Grant Amount	Municipality Amount
Capital Region Parkland Water Services Commission	CRPWSC Twinning Phase 2 Acheson to Spruce Grove to provide additional water supply for the City of Spruce Grove, Town of Stony Plain, Parkland County and the WILD Regional Water Commission.	$19,100,000	$5,464,333	$13,635,667
Capital Region Parkland Water Services Commission	CRPWSC Twinning Phase 3 Spruce Grove to Stony Plain to provide additional water supply for the City of Spruce Grove, Town of Stony Plain, Parkland County and the WILD Regional Water Commission.	$12,800,000	$3,661,961	$9,138,039
County of Northern Lights	Northern Lights/Peace River regional waterline to provide water supply to Dixonville.	$37,756,507	$28,196,559	$9,559,948
County of Thorhild	Hamlet of Long Lake regional waterline to provide water supply to the community.	$11,350,000	$10,215,000	$1,135,000
County of Vermilion River	Phase 6 regional waterline, Kitscoty to Islay - continuation of the regional water system serving the ACE Water Corp. municipalities from the City of Lloydminster.	$3,259,256	$2,933,330	$325,926
Shirley McClellan Regional Water Services Commission	Donalda to White Sands waterline provides regional water supply to the Summer Village of White Sands.	$1,434,500	$1,291,050	$143,450
Shirley McClellan Regional Water Services Commission	Regional waterline to Brownfield to provide regional water supply to the Hamlet of Brownfield.	$2,612,600	$2,351,340	$261,260
Sylvan Lake Regional Wastewater Commission	Regional wastewater system Phase 5 Sylvan Lake to the County of Red Deer provides for the construction of a regional wastewater line from the Town of Sylvan Lake and surrounding Summer Villages.  This project eliminates the discharge of municipal wastewater upstream of the plant.	$41,200,000	$37,080,000	$4,120,000
Total - new W4L		$129,512,863	$91,193,573	$38,319,290

New Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) projects

Municipality	Grant Description	Eligible Project Cost	Grant Amount	Municipality Amount
County of Big Lakes	Hamlet of Joussard WTP upgrade for additional water treatment capacity.	$4,800,000	$3,600,000	$1,200,000
County of Grande Prairie	Bezanson sewage lagoon expansion to meet Alberta Environment wastewater treatment requirements.	$534,000	$400,500	$133,500
County of Grande Prairie	Waterline from well to the new, packaged Teepee Creek water treatment plant for additional water supply capacity.	$225,000	$168,750	$56,250
County of Mackenzie	Zama City water supply improvements to meet Alberta Environment water treatment requirements.	$941,000	$705,750	$235,250
County of Saddle Hills	Woking WTP upgrade and clear well expansion to meet Alberta Environment water treatment requirements.	$1,556,000	$1,167,000	$389,000
Fairview	Install aeration systems in existing 3 raw water reservoirs to meet Alberta Environment water treatment requirements.	$727,000	$545,250	$181,750
MD of Wainwright	New well – Fabyan to provide for additional water supply capacity.	$28,000	$21,000	$7,000
Milk River	Raw water reservoir upgrade to provide additional raw water storage to ensure water supply during dry weather occurrences.	$1,860,000	$1,395,000	$465,000
Mountain View Regional Water Services Commission	Line twinning from Midline Reservoir to Crossfield to provide additional water supply capacity.	$25,528,500	$10,737,287	$14,791,213
Nobleford	Wastewater lagoon upgrade to meet Alberta Environment wastewater treatment requirements.	$3,152,034	$2,206,424	$945,610
Specialized Municipality of Wood Buffalo	Hamlet of Conklin water treatment plant Phase 2 construction to meet Alberta Environment water treatment requirements.	$2,862,750	$764,354	$2,098,396
Three Hills	Water treatment plant upgrades to meet Alberta Environment water treatment requirements.	$14,785,083	$8,913,316	$5,871,767
Tri Village Regional Sewage Services Commission	Lift station and force main upgrades to meet Alberta Environment wastewater treatment requirements.	$4,180,000	$2,930,598	$1,249,402
Wembley	Wastewater membrane bioreactor containers to meet Alberta Environment wastewater treatment requirements.	$3,207,438	$2,172,414	$1,035,024
Total - new AMWWP		$64,386,805	$35,727,643	$28,659,162

Previously approved Water for Life projects with additional funding

Municipality	Grant Description	Eligible Project Cost	Grant Amount	Municipality Amount
County of Cypress	Hamlet of Schuler regional water supply - engineering and design work determined part of an existing waterline needed to be replaced.	$666,046	$599,441	$66,605
County of Newell	Regional water supply system from Brooks – additional work to Alberta Environment treated waterlines regulations.	$754,810	$616,227	$138,583
County of Vermilion River	Stage 1 Vegreville to Two Hills – increased costs due to higher construction costs.	$1,541,467	$1,387,320	$154,147
Total- W4L		$2,962,323	$2,602,988	$359,334

Previously approved Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater projects with additional funding

Municipality	Grant Description	Eligible Project Cost	Grant Amount	Municipality Amount
County of Big Lakes	Enilda wastewater lagoon upgrade – increased design work and construction costs.	$1,307,478	$980,609	$326,870
County of Big Lakes	Faust wastewater lagoon expansion – increased design and storage upgrade costs.	$71,745	$53,809	$17,936
Forestburg	Water treatment plant – increased costs due to lack of interest in original tender.	$771,371	$578,528	$192,843
Specialized Municipality of Crowsnest Pass	SCADA upgrade – increase due to scope change and construction cost upgrades.	$269,608	$185,140	$84,468
Total – AMWWP		$2,420,203	$1,798,086	$622,117
Combined approved W4L/AMWWP		$5,382,525	$4,401,074	$981,451

	Eligible Project Cost	Grant Amount	Municipality Amount
Grand total	$199,282,193	$131,322,290	$67,959,903

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