The south contract between 90 Avenue to 98 Avenue on 101 Street has been awarded to Wapiti Gravel Suppliers. This phase will replace the existing 375 millimetre wastewater line with a 750 millimetre line. Water mains and services will also be replaced at the same time. The kick-off meeting took place on May 11 and construction started on June 5, 2023. This phase of the project became substantially complete on November 3, 2023. Only seasonal deficiencies remain for the 2024 construction season. 

The north contract between 102 Avenue to 108 Avenue, on 102 Street, is scheduled for construction in 2025/2026. 

Decommissioning of the Avondale sub-trunk across Bear Creek will take place tentatively in 2025 and the replacement of the sanitary main on 108 Avenue between 100 Street and 102 Street will take place in 2026. This project will reduce the risk of raw effluent being discharged into Bear Creek by eliminating the sanitary crossing across the Bear River (Creek) Reservoir (Reliability/Risk Management) and support redevelopment and densification within the Central Business District and North Avondale areas (Growth). 

This project provides water and wastewater services to the proposed school site located north of Five Mile Hall, and accommodate future development between Carriage Lane and Five Mile Hall along 100 Avenue and Twp Road 712. 

The lift station building is now substantially complete. Chandos Construction is addressing the construction deficiencies of the lift station with commissioning to follow.  

The water main was commissioned on September 20 and a temporary construction meter was installed on October 20. The County and Aquatera are working together to address the punch list for the water mains, sanitary gravity mains and the force main with start-up to follow. The County will address the remaining deficiencies in the 2024 construction season. 

This project will provide water and sanitary services to the Harry Balfour school site located just north of the Five Mile Hall as well as future development between Carriage Lane and Five Mile Hall along 100 Avenue/Twp Road 712 (Growth). 

Studies have been completed to identify options to provide water and sanitary servicing to the Hughes Lake ASP area. Options selection and timing will be determined in conjunction with developers and the City of Grande Prairie.

This project involves expansion of the existing raw water siltation/storage ponds to provide additional capacity to meet the recommended seven-day capacity in 2042 based on estimated demand growth in the region. Aquatera completed a conceptual study in 2018 and has engaged Stantec to complete the preliminary design work along with initial regulatory approval for the expansion work. Aquatera completed survey and geotechnical investigation work to support the project development. First Nations consultation, as required to acquire the necessary land for the expansion, has been completed. 

The grant application for this project has been successful and a memorandum of agreement for a $1.17 million grant has now been completed by the Town of Sexsmith. 

The project will provide surge capacity to allow Aquatera to meet water demand when river conditions restrict diversion or when an environmental disaster such as a hydrocarbon spill occur upstream of the intake. 

An RFP for Engineering Services has been posted and Aquatera is in the process of evaluating proposals and selecting a consultant for Preliminary & Detailed Design. 

Aquatera is currently developing the preliminary design and cost estimate for a new river intake to address concerns with blockage and to provide additional capacity to meet future demand. The new intake will be located just upstream of the existing facilities and will include a fish return system to meet current regulations. Construction is expected in 2026-2028. Aquatera has been approved for grant funding of $1,979,000 from Alberta’s Water for Life program. The First Nations consultation process has been completed. 

This project will address capacity limitations and issues with debris buildup around the existing River Intake #3, providing full diversion license capacity (Growth). 

A new water intake is required due to changes in the river and a need for additional capacity and redundancy. Design and construction of river bank stabilization using bioengineering to protect the existing intake, pumphouse and storage ponds was completed in 2018 and is being monitored to confirm the success of the work. Stantec has been selected as the engineering consultant for preliminary intake design and permitting; it is expected it will take 12 months to obtain the necessary approvals from the regulators.

Construction began in 2021. The overall cost estimate of the project is approximately $32.4M through 2024. Grant funding will be pursued to reduce the cost to Aquatera for the project.

In the winter of 2021/2022 ice build-up at the Sexsmith Bulk Water Station forced the shutdown of the station due to unsafe conditions that could not be maintained. The previous design of the Sexsmith Bulk Water Station resulted in ice build-up around the loading connections from water spillage from the fill line and attached hoses to the water trucks/tanks being used by customers. The ice build-up caused slip and fall concerns due to slope build-up.

This project replaced the former concrete pad with a heat traced pad, complete with a catch basin to contain and drain any spillage and run-off from the pad into the sanitary sewer system. The pad installation portion of the project has been completed and the Sexsmith Bulk Water Station reopened in September 2023. 

ATCO replaced the power pole at Sexsmith bulk water station on November 24 will be replacing the electrical pole transformers from the current 120/240V single phase to 3-phase 347/600V on November 30. Jayjaxx will be installing the electrical system upgrades from November 30 to December 8, 2023, so the Sexsmith bulk water will be closed through this period. When the electrical work is complete, the station will reopen completely.

This project will add additional water treatment capacity to the existing WTP to meet growth within the region. Preliminary design has been pushed to 2026, based on reduced growth rates in the area, to confirm the technology selection, scope of work, land requirements and cost estimate. 

The estimated cost of $20.4M - $25.0M is based on the 2018 Water Supply Masterplan and results from the first two (of three) phases of WTP Stress Testing completed in 2019. The project is driven by growth.

Aquatera completed the conceptual design for a new reservoir in the water treatment plant area. Tree clearing and additional geotechnical work occurred in October 2022. Detailed engineering has been awarded; a civil/structural construction package will be issued in early January 2024 followed by the electrical/mechanical package in April/May 2024.

After reviewing cost estimates for several project options and historical geotechnical information, Aquatera has determined the new reservoir will be located west of the existing treatment facilities within Aquatera’s property and will include a pumphouse. Aquatera has been approved for grant funding of up to $1,377,000 from Alberta’s Water for Life program. 

This project will provide additional potable water storage capacity which will enhance treatment plant operations and allow for extended maintenance periods at the treatment plant. The project will also allow deferral of the treatment plant capacity upgrade project by several years (Reliability/Risk Management). 

The existing fire water and backup angle drive pump, and electrical infrastructure, were at end-of-life and needed to be replaced. To facilitate the replacement while maintaining water service to Wembley, the existing pumphouse is being expanded to accommodate a new electrical room. The electrical infrastructure replacement contract has been awarded and equipment is being ordered. Electrical construction commenced with the delivery of the new emergency generator on June 23, 2022. Equipment that was scheduled to be delivered in the fall of 2022 was delayed from the vendor, pushing final completion to late 2023 or early 2024. 

The building extension work is complete. The angle drive engine was installed and is operational. 

This project addresses issues with the existing back-up generator/fire pump drive engine at the Town of Wembley’s water pumphouse by installing a larger generator that will run the entire pumphouse and replacing existing generator/fire pump engine (Reliability/Risk Management). 

Aquatera has awarded a contract to Empower Energy for installation of a solar power facility at the Zone 3 Pump House and Reservoir site. This is expected to generate approximately 700,000 kilowatt hour (kW-h) of power annually, replacing approximately 80 per cent of the power used by the facility. Detail design is complete with necessary permits and alignment approvals received.

Construction started in late September and is on schedule with pile installation completed and main power supply cables installed across 97 Street, and approximately 45 per cent of the panels installed. The facility will be constructed on the west side of 97 Street. This project provides a significant hedge against electricity costs and helps to reduce Aquatera’s carbon footprint. Initial power is expected to be generated mid-December 2023.