Elk Point town council discussed three potential options to achieve the town's goal of a 24/7 water supply at last Monday's meeting. Town manager Myron Goyan presented council with three scenarios and the capital costs associated wit each to aid council in their decisions.
The first option would be for the town to build their own pumphouse on the North Saskatchewan River, near the site where they currently withdraw water twice a year, and to draw water on an as-needed, year-round basis with a permanent pipeline to the reservoir adjacent to the town's treatment plant.
The second option would be to add a third pump to the Town of St. Paul's pumphouse at Lac St. Cyr and draw water to Elk Point's treatment plant from there via a pipeline following the municipal road.
Both of those scenarios would bring in raw water and would require a total upgrade of the water treatment plant, with an estimated price tag of at least $2.9 million.
The third option would be to join the Town and County of St. Paul in the regional water system, bringing treated water from St. Paul via a pipeline following the Iron Horse Trail.
In all three cases, an engineering assessment would determine the extent of an upgrade to Elk Point's treatment plant that would include the expansion of the clear water reservoir.
Mayor Parrish Tung said all three scenarios would achieve the goals of 24/7 water supply and ensuring that Elk Point's water meets required standards.
In a recorded vote that followed analysis of the three scenarios, Couns. Bernice Capjack and Dwayne Yaremkevich and Mayor Tung voted in favour of accepting the regional water system business plan as presented, and using it as a basis to apply for grant funding. Coun. Ron Fraess voted against the motion; Coun. Eugene Buck did not attend the meeting.
Goyan told council he had presented the town's counter-proposal on tax incentives to the economic development committee, for their review.
Council learned that ATCO requires an assessment on spacing for lighting on 54 St. between Railway Ave. and the elevator road. Because the southern extent of the lighting is close to Highway 646, Alberta Transportation may have to give their approval for a light at that end. The possibility of lighting the other two sides of the loop, which would require an estimated 13 or 14 lights, was also discussed. Economic development coordinator Bob Bezpalko strongly urged that the town consider solar lighting, which he estimated at $7,000 per pole “with no monthly bills to pay." Coun. Yaremkevich agreed that the town should look at both conventional and solar lighting, as well as LED lighting. Also in regards to trail development, it was reported that the proposed walking trail along 50 Ave to Range Road 71 is to be surveyed, with both the north and south sides of the road to be considered for the project.
Council agreed to once again sponsor the Elk Point Emergency Services golf tournament at the gold level and to enter a team.
Declining volumes at recent hazardous waste collection events has led council to discontinuing the annual event. Goyan suggested contacting CNRL, which has sponsored the collection for a number of years, to see if the company would be interested in sponsoring the town's clean-up day instead.
