A budget allocation in the amount of $3 million was approved by Rocky View County (RVC) council by a vote of 8-1, to finance capacity upgrades to the Langdon Wastewater Treatment Plant. This funding will be used for short-term plant capacity increases – interim measures identified by the County through the commissioned preliminary design contract for the facility upgrade.
The need for upgrades to the facility was identified by RVC administration in December 2012 and, given historical growth rates, would be required by 2016. Based on those assessments, administration recommended plans to upgrade the capacity would need to start in 2014.
A preliminary design contract was awarded in 2014 to Calgary’s AMEC Earth and Environmental. AMEC identified a number of modifications to the existing plant that could provide additional capacity in relatively short order and at a relatively low cost, and could potentially defer the timing for the ultimate capacity upgrade.
“This will result in a treatment capacity increase of approximately 1,000 cubic metres per day,” said RVC Operations Manager Stuart Jewison. “By applying the current water and wastewater off-site levy bylaw to the 1,000 cubic metres per day realized by the improvements, administration has calculated that approximately $30 million can be collected through future development.”
Currently, due to the limitations of the plant’s capacity, the County is unable to approve development in the service areas of East Balzac, Conrich, and Langdon, and therefore unable to collect the applicable water and wastewater off-site levies. Based on current developer interest, RVC administration estimated the $3 million could be paid back within five years through the levies.
The funding will come from Tax Stabilization Reserve dollars, with repayment, including borrowing costs, by funds collected through the water and wastewater off-site levy bylaw. Administration said, at the end of 2013 RVC had $14 million in Tax Stabilization Reserve dollars, but figures for 2014 were unavailable.
“To me, to put $3 million into something that has the potential to gain us $30 million, that sounds like a good investment to me,” said Deputy Reeve Lois Habberfield. “If we don’t do it, we can’t collect levies on land that is sitting there in appropriate areas for development.”
However, Councillor Jerry Arshinoff said he felt the expense involved with the interim upgrades should be the responsibility of future developers in the area.
“I do generally agree with investments, and I am probably more free enterprise than anybody in this room, but I do not see any justification for (RVC) fronting this money for private business,” he said.
Despite Arshinoff’s vote in opposition, a motion to approve the application passed 8-1.
“If the development community wants to develop in (RVC), they have to quit expecting us to front-end their work,” said Councillor Al Sacuta. “I’m willing to do it this time, because the numbers seem to work, but in the future, they need to understand – I’m not willing to do this. And our residents have said, ‘don’t do this,’ time and time again.”
The estimated $3 million to complete the interim improvements includes allowances for engineering, construction supervision and contingency, Jewison said. Construction on the project is anticipated to take between 10 to 12 months.
According to Jewison, the interim upgrades will become part of the ultimate upgrade. AMEC is currently working to deliver Stage 1 by May 1.
