Wastewater lagoon upgrades groundbreaking ceremony

Posted on August 24, 2021 by Sunny South News

By Jaxon McGinn
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
Sunny South News

On Aug. 18, the Town of Coaldale broke ground on the $12.8 million wastewater lagoon facility upgrades project. Lethbridge MP Rachael Harder, Taber-Warner MLA Grant Hunter, and Deputy Mayor Bill Chapman attended the groundbreaking ceremony and several representatives from Chandos Construction, Dennis Dirtworx, and the Town of Coaldale.

The town has received significant grant dollars from the province of Alberta through the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) Fund to help make this project happen. The project is also partially funded through the Federal Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) Grant and the Federal Gas Tax Fund.

“This project was largely made possible through the significant grant funding from both the province of Alberta and the government of Canada,” said Jason Siemens, project manager at the Town of Coaldale. “These upgrades will allow the facility to achieve regulatory compliance and to expand the capacity for future growth in the community.”

The wastewater treatment system services the entire population of the town. The new upgrades to the wastewater treatment system will meet the capacity and treated effluent requirements over the 20-year design horizon.

“This is the type of project where the value maybe isn’t as immediately obvious for the members of the community, compared to something like our new recreation centre, but it’s an incredibly important investment for Coaldale,” said Cam Mills, manager of Economic Development and Strategic Initiatives for the Town of Coaldale. “Coaldale has been doing a great job over the last four years to build up its business community; increasing our ability to treat wastewater is going to allow us to continue to attract new investment and jobs into Town for years to come. This project is absolutely critical to support additional growth, and I couldn’t be happier that our partners at the province of Alberta and the government of Canada stepped up to make this project possible.”

“An upgrade to the system is critical in the coming years to satisfy provincial and federal regulatory requirements, while providing adequate treatment capacity for the Town’s projected wastewater generation rates,” said Siemens. “The project was identified as a high priority within the Town of Coaldale’s Infrastructure Master Plan and is being completed in close coordination with other upgrades to the Town’s wastewater lift station and collection system.”