Mundare can’t afford cost of requested water line

BY JOHN MATHER

At the April 18 Mundare Council meeting, Mundare Chief Administrative Officer Colin Zyla updated council on the costs of supplying a water line to the home of Marsha Woloschuk.

Woloschuk appeared before Mundare council April. 4, to ask if she could have a water and sewer connection put to her home on the south side of Highway 15.

“I have a problem,” she said. “I’ve lived here for a long time. I moved into my first house when I was 20 years old and I’m now 91 year old. I’ve paid taxes that entire time.

“Where are my taxes going,” she asked. “I don’t have sewer and I don’t have water.”

“I pay for my garbage. Why can I not get water and sewer?

Accompanied by her daughter, it was explained to council that her well had caved in recently, forcing her and her daughter to haul water to her home. She does get some assistance from her son but since he works out of town, most of it falls to herself and her daughter.

“I have no water to wash clothes, and can’t take a shower,” she said. She added she had paid to have her well looked at and no one can do anything to help it.

It was explained to council that the south side of the town has never had services.

Woloschuk was told the golf course and the Whitetail area had paid to have that area serviced when it was developed.

Councillor Sandra Nicholson said they would look into whether there were any grants available and try to find some sort of solution for them.

Councillor Rick Patrie said her issue wasn’t something that could be fixed in a week.

Zyla said the Town would have to talk to their engineers and get some cost estimates.

“We have to do some investigation and see what’s happening there,” he said. “But I can’t give you a specific timeline.”

On April 18, Zyla reported back to council that he had spoken with the town engineers and the estimated cost to put a water line in the area would cost roughly $290,000 for a 200mm waterline. The estimate didn’t include any road construction costs.

“Based on my research I couldn’t find any seniors grants or any others that the Town could apply for to help cover the costs of a project like this,” Zyla reported. “We have our normal MSI grant but it is $290,000 for one or two homes.”

Nicholson said it was obvious the money wasn’t there for the waterline at this time.

She wondered if they could look at establishing a reserve fund, but council said with only two homes interested in the waterline and the costs continually rising there wasn’t any point.

Councillor Rick Patrie said a waterline has been offered to residents in the area years ago utilizing a local improvement program but that had been rejected.

“The residents declined it at the time,” he said. “So prices have changed drastically.”

Zyla said unfortunately Town priorities did have to go where the majority of the population lived and right now that was the north side of the town and the Whitetail area.

“Ultimately the area in question could grow but right now where do you put your money,” he said.

Patrie agreed it was an undeveloped area and not likely to be developed soon as there are lots in the Whitetail area and on the north side of town.

Council after discussion passed a motion not to proceed with a waterline in the area due to the high cost of the project.

Summer seasonal Laborers

Emcon Services is currently seeking Laborers and Flaggers

For the Vegreville, Two Hills, and Lamont areas for the upcoming summer season. Job duties may include but are not limited to:

Flagging, Crack sealing, Rest area maintenance, Highway Inspections, sign and guardrail repairs, bridge washing, pot hole filling, grass trimming.

Ability to work extended hours and weekends as required.

Applicants must have a valid Class 5 drivers license.

Emcon Services Inc. offers competitive wages and maintains a substance abuse policy.

Please email or fax applications to:

Emcon Services Inc. Attn. Jim Mears

Email: wmears@emconservices.ca

Bruderheim gets huge grant to upgrade water system

BY JOHN MATHER

The Town of Bruderheim has received funding from the provincial government to proceed with upgrades to its water treatment reservoir and capacity issues.

The grant from the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership is for up to $3,051,724.00.

Mayor Karl Hauch is thrilled with the amount of the grant equating to almost the Town’s total annual budget.

“The work has to be started by the end of 2025,” said Hauch. “The reservoir and pumping system is key to the future growth of Bruderheim.”

“Our firewater system flow has been falling with the growth of the town and we can’t continue to grow until we get our water system sorted out.”

Bruderheim will be responsible for all costs to use, operate, maintain, repair and replace the completed project.

While Bruderheim will still have to come up with almost $1,000,000 to complete the project, Hauch said administration would start working immediately on plans to apply for Federal funding and come up with several scenarios where the Town could access the additional funding whether through debentures or other methods.

He added it would take a full summer construction season to complete the expansion of the reservoir, and he hoped that would happen in 2024.

“It’s a great challenge for us,” added Hauch.

“But really, with this grant, it’s a great challenge to have.”

He added the Town had to proceed with the project, “or we’ll have hampered our growth for years.”

“The issue has been coming for a long time,” said Hauch. “We’ve been advocating for this for several years.”

Owner of Strong's Garage in Bruderheim, Matt Hotte (L) stands with Jim Koladich as they put the finishing touches on the restoration of a 1932 Ford on May 1. While the garage, which primarily restores classic vehicles, is not yet open to the public, Hotte said plenty of work is and has been done inside of the historic building over the past 10 years, resurrecting its life as it was in the early 40s when it began as Strong's Garage.