Upgrades and improvements to Bashaw’s infrastructure were a big topic on the agenda at a recent council meeting.
Three specialty valves inside the town’s water treatment facility for replacement and the kick off to the process on the next stage of utility and road upgrades on 54 Avenue were approved by council at the March 8 meeting.
CAO Theresa Fuller explained the valves have an overall cost of $11,500 coming from the town’s 2017 water income surplus. They are needed immediately or the town risks a whole host of issues and far higher expenses if they aren’t replaced.
Two aged singer valves will be swapped out along with a specialized butterfly valve.
“If there is a breakdown in either of these, we are not able to get parts for them anymore,” noted Fuller.
“These valves control water flow within the pumphouse and if they fail, the entire water system would need to be shut off and that would involve a report to Alberta Environment along with a huge inconvenience to the public.”
Anytime a municipal water system either shuts off or falls below a certain pressure, it is a government requirement that boil water orders be put in place until such time as the system returns a certain number of clean water tests.
However, that may be avoided by doing the work first on the butterfly valve.
“That particular valve can allow for a temporary bypass of water to keep the system operating so that repairs can be made,” Fuller added.
“The town is being proactive now, before something happens, so that the system can be updated and will sustain the town for the next 25 years.”
Having water bypass the system isn’t as much of an issue as it was last year, considering that treated water is being delivered through the regional line that began supplying the town last November.
Phase two construction on 54 Street
Progress on the next step of installing new water and sewer lines along with upgrading 54 Avenue, this time between 52 and 54 Street, was approved by council.
“There is a very unique challenge with this phase of the project as all of the utilities run under the boulevard that is filled with trees, something we didn’t know as it wasn’t noted on any of the maps,” Fuller stated.
Three options on how to get the work done were discussed by council, however no decision was made on which one would be appropriate.
“The general consensus was that we move ahead with the project, but that the town take the time to do the proper planning,” she added.
Council directed administration to hold a consultation with affected area residents before receiving further direction.
“We have some preliminary work to do and line up our financial ducks, plus figure out how this project will align with the strategic planning direction that council will soon be working on,” Fuller said.
There is no set time for the meeting or construction.