Plan 8 study shows servicing limits
Restrictions to wastewater discharge may plug development plans
Enrique Massot
Limits to wastewater discharge could restrict population in a western area of the MD of Rocky View, a consultant revealed last Tuesday.
The limitations would allow only a population of about 30,000 on the Plan 8 area structure plan, slated to regulate development in a 12,000-acre area bordered by the Elbow River, the City of Calgary and the Tsuu T’ina Nation.
A plan draft is proposing to develop the area to contain a population of 58,000 at full build out.
Rocky View council will meet on June 3 to continue a public hearing that was recessed in September of last year, to allow for the completion of studies expected to provide information on water, wastewater, transportation, drainage and community services.
However, according to a consultant with MPE Engineering Ltd., if an MD system is built to treat and dispose of sewage, maximum discharges allowed into the Elbow River would not allow for more than 30,000 residents.
"Alberta Environment limits discharges to 10 per cent of the monthly flow," said project engineer Mark Steffler.
On the other hand, Steffler added, a direct connection to Calgary would solve the limitations.
"Connections to the city are the preferred options for water and wastewater, to meet the population targets," he said.
However, current city policies and the political climate could be in the way of this option, he added.
"There are significant political hurdles," he said.
Steffler’s presentation was part of the release of executive summaries of three studies intended to provide information to politicians before council considers the adoption of Plan 8 on June 3.
The councillors learned that an option negotiated in 2005 to divert treated wastewater through the Tsuu T’ina lands is no longer an option.
"It has become clear from Alberta Environment that running (treated effluent) to the Fish Creek basin is not acceptable," said Derek Lovlin, the MD’s director of Infrastructure and Operations.
Availability of potable water also remains a wild card in the game, as new licences to withdraw water from the Elbow River are not being granted, said Steffler.
Connecting to the city, a report outlined, would also be the best option, technically, for potable water servicing.
However, Calgary-Rocky View relations became strained during the last land annexation process.
While 8 million cubic metres of water per year would be needed to service the plan area, the MD is in the process of acquiring a yearly allocation of 1.1 million cubic metres. Developers would be responsible for acquiring the remaining water, the MPE report stated.
Costs for different options for water and wastewater servicing run between $258 million and $357 million, the reports revealed.
However, those costs estimates were tentative and did not include costs of acquiring water licences, said Steffler.
Rocky View Reeve Lois Habberfield said she found the costs to be quite acceptable.
"I was pleasantly surprised that, based on 58,000 people, it worked out to about $6,000 per person," she said.
Correction
In the story of March 18, entitled Rancher Donates Land for Seniors Housing Project, we incorrectly stated Ruth Hunt’s age was 94 years. In fact, Mrs. Hunt is 90 years old. We apologize for the error.
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