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Eye on the loot
Two bandits parade around the infield of the Millarville Race Track on Saturday during the horse decorating contest which was part of the Priddis/Millarville Fair held all day Saturday. Children decorated their horses in a variety of themes such as hippies, dogs, Indians and of course, cowboys. The annual Priddis/Millarville Fair attracted people from throughout the foothills region and included numerous events for the entire family such as rodeo, games for the children, live entertainment, farmers’ market and parade.
- photo by John Barlow
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Bragg Creek Substandard water is topic of meetings
By Cindy BallanceEditor
Organizers of two upcoming public meetings are hoping that some much-needed solutions are uncovered in order to deal with Bragg Creek’s inadequate water supply.
For years residents in Bragg Creek have been dealing with contaminated groundwater and have been under a boil water order, some say for the past 25 years.
A report, released in April of 2000, indicated that the hamlet’s water supply has a fecal coliform count of as much as 1,200 times the Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guideline requirement and residents have, therefore, been boiling their drinking water or having it trucked in.
After the report was released the municipality commissioned UMA Engineering to conduct a feasibility study which was released in February of this year.
The study was intended to provide viable working solutions to the hamlet’s water problems.
In order to gather public feedback and to come up with proposals for a water system, two public meetings have been planned by the Bragg Creek Chamber of Commerce.
The first of two meetings will be held tonight (Wednesday) at 7 pm with consultant Jonathan Huggett who will be developing a viable proposal for water treatment and supply system. The meeting will be held at Wintergreen Resort.
According to Doug Sephton, vice-president of the chamber, the first meeting will be an informal one which will provide residents with an idea of the concerns and possible solutions.
'The first meeting is fairly informal. It is an attempt to bring a few issues to the forefront,' said Sephton.
The second meeting, to be held on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 7 pm at the Bragg Creek Community Centre, will be a public forum where experts from the municipality, province, health region and environmental and residents groups will make up a panel to present their perspectives and answer questions.
'The second meeting is a very important opportunity to address the issues and bring some pressure to various people to act,' explained Sephton.
One of the proposals to deal with the hamlet’s inadequate water supply is to build a pipeline to Calgary which will treat and transport wastewater and draw water from the Elbow River.
According to Sephton, the idea is a $60 million proposal which would likely mean an increase in property taxes of about $170 per month for residents.
However, this idea has in past years received staunch opposition from ratepayers.
MD of Rockyview Councillor Wayne Fullerton explained that 83 per cent of residents did not prefer the pipeline option, but instead wanted a moratorium on development.
The moratorium has been in place since the 1970s.
'(The hamlet) can’t absorb any more (development) without addressing (the water issue),' explained Sephton.
The water problems are mostly due to the hamlet’s geology. Because the hamlet is located on a gravel bed, there is no natural filtration system for groundwater. The hamlet is also located on the flood fringe and therefore the wells are shallow leaving little room for filtration treatment.
Compounding the hamlet’s problems is the confusion over how long the boil water order has been in effect.
'Apparently there has been one in effect for 25 years and no one knew about it. They (the CRHA) tested the water and said it is not fit for drinking,' said Sephton.
The Calgary Regional Health Authority (CRHA) has now officially announced there is a boil water order in effect in the hamlet.
Although there has never been a problem of resident’s falling ill due to the water, situations such as Walkerton and North Battleford have raised the spectrum of concern, explained Sephton.
He added that many residents and merchants truck their water into the community to ensure not only their safety, but the safety of tourists to the popular hamlet.
It is hoped the meetings will bring about some positive solutions to the problems and open discussion between the ratepayers.
'It (the proposal) is going to be cost prohibitive. We are looking to find a solution that is affordable and acceptable to most of the people,' said Fullerton.
For more information on the public hearings contact the Bragg Creek Chamber of Commerce at 949-0004 or e-mail to chamber@toloko.com
