Municipal water will soon be flowing to East Coulee.
At their meeting on July 2, Town Council awarded the contract for the construction of the East Coulee water transmission line. It is estimated the line will be complete by the fall.
“It will be completed by the Fall. It’s 100 days to finish their contract,” said Mayor Terry Yemen.
Knibb Development Ltd. was chosen to construct the line for a total cost, including engineering work, of $3,989,593. The vast majority of construction is being covered by a grant from the province, which was awarded in May 2011. The Town of Drumheller is only responsible for 10 per cent of the cost.
The Town of Drumheller is moving forward with construction on the East Coulee water transmission line. At their meeting on July 2, Council awarded the contract for construction to Knibb Development Ltd. Construction will begin soon with completion in the fall.
The line will bring municipal water to the western edge of East Coulee where there will be a fill station. The line will help increase the fire protection for the area.
There are no plans to build distribution lines throughout East Coulee or Lehigh, where residents rely on sandpoint wells for their water.
“When it’s finished, there will be a fill station in East Coulee and that’s it. If, a few years down the road, they need water, it’s there for them,” said Yemen.
The process to build the transmission line to East Coulee has been ongoing for years. Late in 2011, Council debated building the transmission line and distribution lines throughout East Coulee and Lehigh. The distribution lines would cost residents in those areas just under $16,000 per household.
After vehement opposition, plans for the distribution lines were shelved, but considering the $3.4 million grant from the province, it was decided to continue with plans to build the transmission line, with an option for acreages along the way to hook up.
It is expected construction will start within the next month.
