Red Deer council approved a total of $5.2 million in debenture spending on Monday for a pair of projects city officials say will facilitate future growth.

First, to buy a stretch of the regional water pipeline running from the north end of the city to the Blindman River.

“That line will give the city capacity for development to the northwest part of the city, including areas like Central Park and Hazlett Lake,” said Tim Ainscough, environmental services manager.

“Having the capacity will allow expansion. As developers come to develop new land, they will have a location to tie in for a supply of water.”

The total cost of the purchase is $4 million, half the initial estimate, and mostly funded through borrowing, with the rest coming from reserves.

As well, council voted to borrow $2.2 million to oversize the regional sewer line running from the Chiles Industrial Park in the city's north, to the wastewater treatment plant.

The North Red Deer Regional Wastewater Services Commission is building the line and the extra capacity means the city will not have to build its own dedicated line in the future.

“It essentially means that we don't have to build the same infrastructure twice. It just protects our growth ability in the future with some up-front investment. We realize the financial and operational savings of that in the long run,” said Mayor Tara Veer.

Ainscough said there will be increased capacity in the line for future connections to the Chiles Industrial Park, northwest Red Deer and a regional wastewater service commission from Sylvan Lake.


The North Red Deer Regional Wastewater Services Commission (NRDRWWSC) issued a construction update yesterday (Oct 30th) on the North Red Deer Regional Wastewater System (contributed by NRDRWWSC & City of Lacombe)

The North Red Deer Regional Wastewater Services Commission (NRDRWWSC) is pleased to report that construction on the wastewater transmission system connecting Lacombe, Blackfalds and Lacombe County to the regional wastewater treatment facility in Red Deer is on budget and progressing well.

Six construction contracts are underway concurrently:

1. Pipeline construction from the Odour Management Facility to the City of Red Deer’s
Wastewater treatment Plant is expected to be completed ahead of schedule in November
2017. PVC installation was completed by mid-October, and the entrance chamber
construction is on-going and nearly complete. (see Fig. 1: Installation of PVC gravity pipe. Trench
box being utilized due to poor ground conditions.)

2. Construction of the Odour Management Facility is on track for completion on schedule by
mid-January 2018. Precast concrete walls are up and work on the building roof is ongoing. (see
Fig. 2: Construction of the Odour Management Facility.)

3. Construction on the pipeline from Blackfalds to the Odour Management Facility is on
schedule. Crews are currently installing pipe North of Highway 597, including well point
dewatering. Pressure testing completion is set for December 15, 2017. (see Fig. 3: Installation of
a case bore on the North side of Blindman River.)

4. Construction of the Blackfalds Lift Station is on schedule for completion in late January 2018.
PVC site piping is being completed and the precast concrete walls are up and roof work is
ongoing. (see Fig. 4: Construction of the Blackfalds Lift Station.)

5. Pipeline construction from Lacombe to Blackfalds, is ahead of schedule. Crews are working on
pipe installation towards Lacombe (Range Road 264) and along Highway 597. Pressure testing
completion is set for December 15, 2017. (see Fig. 5: Pipe installation within a trenched area.)

6. Construction of the Lacombe Lift Station is on schedule for completion in late February 2018.
All cast-in-place concrete work has been completed and all underground pipe and backfilling
to grade level has been completed. (see Fig. 6: Construction progress of the Lacombe Lift Station.)

Construction completion of the overall project is scheduled for March 31, 2018. The project is expected to cost approximately $71 million. Funding partners for the project include the Government of Canada, the Alberta Government and the NRDRWWSC municipal partners (City of Lacombe, Town of Blackfalds, and Lacombe County) as well as the City of Red Deer.