The south contract between 90 Avenue to 98 Avenue on 101 Street has been awarded to Wapiti Gravel Suppliers. This phase will replace the existing 375 millimetre wastewater line with a 750 millimetre line. Water mains and services will also be replaced at the same time. The kick-off meeting took place on May 11 and construction started on June 5, 2023. This phase of the project became substantially complete on November 3, 2023. Only seasonal deficiencies remain for the 2024 construction season. 

The north contract between 102 Avenue to 108 Avenue, on 102 Street, is scheduled for construction in 2025/2026. 

Decommissioning of the Avondale sub-trunk across Bear Creek will take place tentatively in 2025 and the replacement of the sanitary main on 108 Avenue between 100 Street and 102 Street will take place in 2026. This project will reduce the risk of raw effluent being discharged into Bear Creek by eliminating the sanitary crossing across the Bear River (Creek) Reservoir (Reliability/Risk Management) and support redevelopment and densification within the Central Business District and North Avondale areas (Growth). 

Aquatera is reinstating a bypass near the Clairmont Booster Station on the transmission line to Sexsmith to allow for piping repair and maintenance on the Clairmont Booster Station and Clairmont Pumphouse, without interrupting service to the town of Sexsmith and Clairmont. 

The groundwork scope estimates have not been submitted to Aquatera due to a CN Railway proximity issue that requires approval from CN Railway. The project will commence in 2024 winter/spring timeline.

This project is providing water and sanitary services to the Harry Belfour school site located just north of the Five Mile Hall as well as future development between Carriage Lane and Five Mile Hall along 100 Avenue/Twp Road 712 (Growth). 

Outstanding deficiencies for the lineal assets and lift station will be addressed by the County of Grande Prairie in the spring of 2024. 

Aquatera will replace the current 300mm and 400mm water mains with a single 600mm PVC watermain. This upgrade will span along 100 Street, covering a distance from approximately 50 meters south of the Landfill access to approximately 125 meters south of the main Water Treatment Plant (WTP) access. 

The project has started and construction is anticipated to be completed by mid February 2024. The primary goal of this project is to significantly enhance the reliability of water delivery to the WTP.

This project involves expansion of the existing raw water siltation/storage ponds to provide additional capacity to meet the recommended seven-day capacity in 2042 based on estimated demand growth in the region. Aquatera completed a conceptual study in 2018 and has engaged Stantec to complete the preliminary design work along with initial regulatory approval for the expansion work. Aquatera completed survey and geotechnical investigation work to support the project development. First Nations consultation, as required to acquire the necessary land for the expansion, has been completed. 

The grant application for this project has been successful and a memorandum of agreement for a $1.17 million grant has now been completed by the Town of Sexsmith. 

The project will provide surge capacity to allow Aquatera to meet water demand when river conditions restrict diversion or when an environmental disaster such as a hydrocarbon spill occur upstream of the intake. 

An RFP for Engineering Services has been posted and Aquatera is in the process of evaluating proposals and selecting a consultant for Preliminary & Detailed Design. 

Aquatera is currently developing the preliminary design and cost estimate for a new river intake to address concerns with blockage and to provide additional capacity to meet future demand. The new intake will be located just upstream of the existing facilities and will include a fish return system to meet current regulations. Construction is expected in 2026-2028. Aquatera has been approved for grant funding of $1,979,000 from Alberta’s Water for Life program. The First Nations consultation process has been completed. 

This project will address capacity limitations and issues with debris buildup around the existing River Intake #3, providing full diversion license capacity (Growth). 

A new water intake is required due to changes in the river and a need for additional capacity and redundancy. Design and construction of river bank stabilization using bioengineering to protect the existing intake, pumphouse and storage ponds was completed in 2018 and is being monitored to confirm the success of the work. Stantec has been selected as the engineering consultant for preliminary intake design and permitting; it is expected it will take 12 months to obtain the necessary approvals from the regulators.

Construction began in 2021. The overall cost estimate of the project is approximately $32.4M through 2024. Grant funding will be pursued to reduce the cost to Aquatera for the project.

This project replaced the existing concrete pad with a heat traced pad, complete with a catch basin to contain and drain any spillage and run-off from the pad into the sanitary sewer system. The pad installation and electrical upgrades have been completed and the heated pad is now on. Small deficiencies will be completed in 2024. 

This project will add additional water treatment capacity to the existing WTP to meet growth within the region. Preliminary design has been pushed to 2026, based on reduced growth rates in the area, to confirm the technology selection, scope of work, land requirements and cost estimate. 

The estimated cost of $20.4M - $25.0M is based on the 2018 Water Supply Masterplan and results from the first two (of three) phases of WTP Stress Testing completed in 2019. The project is driven by growth.

Aquatera completed the conceptual design for a new reservoir in the water treatment plant area. Tree clearing and additional geotechnical work occurred in October 2022. Detailed engineering has been awarded; a civil/structural construction package will be issued in early January 2024 followed by the electrical/mechanical package in April/May 2024.

After reviewing cost estimates for several project options and historical geotechnical information, Aquatera has determined the new reservoir will be located west of the existing treatment facilities within Aquatera’s property and will include a pumphouse. Aquatera has been approved for grant funding of up to $1,377,000 from Alberta’s Water for Life program. 

This project will provide additional potable water storage capacity which will enhance treatment plant operations and allow for extended maintenance periods at the treatment plant. The project will also allow deferral of the treatment plant capacity upgrade project by several years (Reliability/Risk Management). 

The existing fire water and backup angle drive pump, and electrical infrastructure, were at end-of-life and needed to be replaced. To facilitate the replacement while maintaining water service to Wembley, the existing pumphouse is being expanded to accommodate a new electrical room. The electrical infrastructure replacement contract has been awarded and equipment is being ordered. Electrical construction commenced with the delivery of the new emergency generator on June 23, 2022. Equipment that was scheduled to be delivered in the fall of 2022 was delayed from the vendor, pushing final completion to late 2023 or early 2024. 

The building extension work is complete. The angle drive engine was installed and is operational. 

This project addresses issues with the existing back-up generator/fire pump drive engine at the Town of Wembley’s water pumphouse by installing a larger generator that will run the entire pumphouse and replacing existing generator/fire pump engine (Reliability/Risk Management).