The Government of Alberta pledged $9.8 million in support of water and wastewater systems in the Hamlet of Bragg Creek to assist with recovery of damaged infrastructure resulting from the June flood, officials announced during a press conference at the Rocky View County (RVC) office on Sept. 19.
“This has been a project that is likely 15 or 20 years overdue for Bragg Creek. It’s been a long-term project involving federal, provincial and municipal governments to get it to the state that it’s at today,” said MLA for Banff-Cochrane Ron Casey.
Water and wastewater servicing in the hamlet currently consists of private wells and septic fields, as well as trucking in drinking water and trucking out wastewater, According to a press release.
“A lot of the water wells and septic systems were breached and compromised through the flood,” said Rocky View County Reeve Rolly Ashdown.
Since 2009, RVC with the support of the Federal and Provincial government has been building a potable water distribution system in Bragg Creek. But residents were facing $10.8 million to hook-up to the system and $4 million in costs for decommission existing wells and septic systems, said Ashdown.
“(With the funding), the Provincial government has given us the ability to put back in some of the infrastructure that was damaged, and this makes it a little easier to put in new infrastructure throughout the whole town.”
Ashdown added that residents will still face about $5 million for water and wastewater systems, which will likely be paid by a local improvement tax spread out over many years.
Local Bragg Creek RVC Councillor Liz Breakey thanked the County and the Province for their ongoing support.
“This is such a good news story. I want to thank the Province on behalf of the residents of Bragg Creek, and I also want to thank our County administration for helping throughout and continuing to be there for us in terms of working to make this a huge success,” she said.
“This will be the turnaround for the community. It’s been a really tough 100 days since the flood and there’s been a lot of emotion, but when people hear about this contribution, I really think there will be nothing but jobs in the streets,” she said.
Associate Minister for Recovery and Reconstruction of Southwest Alberta Kyle Fawcett said he was proud of the Province’s support and to see the progress being made in Bragg Creek.
“Certainly there’s a lot of devastation… it’s an ongoing day-by-day, week-by-week battle, but we’re going to be there to support the County and certainly the residents until the work is complete,” said Fawcett.
“We feel this is a very important investment, not only in rebuilding the community but allowing it to re-grow in the future,” he said, adding that not only does it ensure the long-term security and quality of water in Bragg Creek, but also for the residents of Calgary as the hamlet is the source of Calgary’s drinking water.
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