The Wheatland Regional Corporation is taking steps to break ground on a line to supply potable water to Hussar, Rockyford, and hamlets in Wheatland County.
A public notice for an application under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act was posted in the August 3 edition of The Mail. This application is for a 7.1 kilometre raw water pipe from a new off stream water storage reservoir for surface water obtained from the Western Irrigation District, and a 34 kilometre potable water line from the Village of Standard Water Treatment Plant to the Hamlet of Gleichen.
Baha Hasasneh, general manager of the Wheatland Regional Corporation says they are getting close to the start of construction. Most of the pipeline will be drilled as opposed to trenched.
“Once we address all the concerns of the public, then we will have the green light. We are planning to start construction in September of this year and we are hoping to complete the project by September 2017.
The Wheatland Regional Corporation project was announced last spring and Hasasneh says the project appears to be well supported.
“We did have public meetings with the villages and the hamlets in February and March and it is having a good impression on these places,” he said.
The line from Standard to Gleichen is the first phase of the multi-year project.
“The next phase will be the pipeline from Standard to Rockyford, and then in the future it will be connecting the Village of Hussar and the Hamlet of Rosebud,” said Hasasneh.
According to the Public Notice, any directly affected person may submit a written Statement of Concern within 30 days of the notice.
The Ministry of Environment and Parks will review each written Statement of Concern, seek more information if needed and will notify each filer by letter of its decision as to whether their submissions are deemed a valid Statement of Concern. These Statements of Concern are public records and can be viewed by the public or the applicant.
Copies of the application and additional information can be obtained from the Village of Standard office.
