Drumheller Town Council learned that it received funding for the East Coulee Water treatment plant.
MLA for Drumheller-Stettler Jack Hayden visited Drumheller Town Council on Monday, February 27. He informed Council that he learned funding the project to replace the existing wastewater treatment plant has been approved.
"It was built 30 years ago with no expectation of a 30 year lifecycle on it, so we have had to do a lot of maintenance just to keep that plant running," said Mayor Terry Yemen.
The Town will receive $956,250 towards the project through the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership, and represents 75 per cent of the costs.
This has been a long time coming for the Town of Drumheller, and has been an environmental concern. The facility was constructed in 1982 with used equipment. It has far surpassed its designed 20-year lifespan.
The project has been in the queue for funding for four years. Mayor Terry Yemen wrote a letter to the Honourable Ray Danyluk, Minister of Transportation in January of this year urging action.
Yemen said he had spoken with Hayden on previous occasions about the issue, and he recognized the town's lobbying.
According to the Government of Alberta this project is part of the province’s three-year plan, which represents a $16.5 billion investment in infrastructure.
Mayor Yemen said the money is confirmed for the project to go ahead this year, depending on the ability of contractors to complete the project. The next step is getting the project engineered and then putting it out for tender.
“Infrastructure projects are investments in communities and families,” said Premier Alison Redford. “Hundreds of projects underway across the province will provide more classrooms, improve access to health care, support community infrastructure and enhance our road network.”
