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Sewer lines to be replaced

Work to replace four-decades-old sewer lines will detour traffic on Windsor Avenue in Turner Valley this summer.

Work to replace four-decades-old sewer lines will detour traffic on Windsor Avenue in Turner Valley this summer.

Work began on the street’s 100 block on June 24 and is anticipated to continue for four weeks as crews replace the sanitary sewer mains along the next two blocks and tie them into the residential sanitary service lines, said Barry Williamson, the Town’s chief administrative officer.

He estimates the sewer line to be about 40 years old.

“It’s so old that it’s a health issue so it’s got to be replaced,” he said. “It’s an old clay line. It’s leaking.”

The Town expects to replace sewer mains along five blocks of Windsor Avenue over two years - three blocks this year and the remaining section in 2017.

“We are doing a block at a time – just over a week per block,” he said.

Williamson said the Town often combines sewer replacement work with repaving streets, and that’s the case with this project.

Once the sewer mains have been installed, paving crews will replace sections of concrete curbs and gutters and resurface the road along those blocks, said Williamson.

“We will open up the road to be driven on while doing the project and then do the paving at once for a day or two,” he said. “The paving might run into early August.”

Most of the $2 million cost to complete the sewer main replacement and road resurfacing is being covered by a Municipal Sustainability Initiative grant.

To help offset the cost, homeowners living on those blocks are required to pay a local improvement tax for the project, said Williamson.

“Every home is different based on frontage,” he said, adding the cost ranges from about $5 to $8 per month over a 20-year payout.

It will cost as much as $1,920 at the higher level of $8 per month. Homeowners have the option to pay the amount in full or have it added to their tax bill, said Williamson.

He said the cost to replace the sewer mains and resurface the road is lower than originally anticipated, allowing the Town to tackle five along Windsor Avenue, instead of four as originally planned.

Williamson attributes the lower cost to the current economic situation.

“We know people are looking for work so we were able to get some attractive bids,” he said. “As a result, we were able to do three blocks this year instead of two.”

With traffic detoured, residents are encouraged to park in the back alley, except on Tuesdays to allow the garbage truck access. On those days, motorists are encouraged to park on adjacent side roads.

According to the Town of Turner Valley website, sanitary services won’t be affected by the replacement, except for about 30 minutes when the service line is being established into the new sanitary main line.

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