The public will have an opportunity to provide input at a meeting next week regarding an initiative involving as many as four municipalities planning to share water services.

The public is invited to attend an open house in Black Diamond on March 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to learn details of the Quad Regional Water Partnership that could have Black Diamond, Turner Valley, the MD of Foothills and, further in the future, Longview sharing water resources by 2015. The first open house was held in Turner Valley last fall.

“We want to get the information out there so we can move along through this project,” said Turner Valley Mayor Kelly Tuck. “It’s important that they understand the direction these four communities are looking at going.”

Although the partnership is in its infancy stages and not yet approved, Tuck said it’s important the public be involved with the process.

“Hopefully people come out and share their thoughts and at least get information,” she said.

Those attending the open house will learn how the partnership could enhance water service, benefit the partnering communities and what a municipally owned corporation could look like.

“It’s really important that the public be engaged,” she said. “I just want to engage the public and make them aware of what’s going on in their communities.”

The partnership was formed in 2008 to investigate the possibility of a regional water system and a feasibility study conducted the following year concluded each partner requires upgrades to its own water infrastructure and a regional water supply is more cost effective than upgrading individual water systems.

“We believe it’s going to save money in the long run,” said Tuck. “I’m not seeing a lot of negatives at this point. Again, it’s going to come down to the dollar and what is that going to look like for every ratepayer.”

Stage one of the regional water system construction, if approved, will include connecting the wells in Black Diamond to the water treatment plant in Turner Valley, upgrading the treatment plant in Turner Valley and installing a pump system and pipeline to bring treated water to Black Diamond, said Tuck.

“It’s important that the Province look at partnerships rather than funding individual projects,” she said. “The majority of costs will be funded through the Province. Black Diamond and Turner Valley are moving more and more into sharing as many services and projects as we can.”

Tuck said information about the partnership will be posted at the meeting and people involved with the partnership will be available to answer residents’ questions.

More information can be found at each community’s website.

Comments

The Okotoks Western Wheel welcomes your opinions and comments. We do not allow personal attacks, offensive language or unsubstantiated allegations. We reserve the right to delete comments deemed inappropriate. We reserve the right to close the comments thread for stories that are deemed especially sensitive. For further information, please contact the editor or publisher.