A substantial sewer blockage in the trunk line between the Boyle & District Seniors Drop-in Centre and the arena caused a back up recently.
Sewage flooded into the Drop-in Centre on Mar. 15, reaching the second stair in the basement, which required the carpets to be ripped out.
The clean up took two days starting that night and finishing up the next day.
Athabasca Hydro’s vacuum and sewer high-pressure flush system had to be used to clear the blockage.
Alex Neumann, superintendent of Public Works and Utilities for the village, explained to council at their regular meeting last Wednesday that the trunk line has no manhole so crews had to go 40 feet into the sewer to reach the blockage.
He added this is the first instance of a problem on the trunk line and believes the grease and tiles in the blockage were collecting there for some time.
Macerator cost
Council has calculated the price of a new macerator lift station for the sewer system.
It is estimated to cost the village just under $90,000 for their share if they receive funding through the Small Communities Grant.
Council was told baby wipes are one of the worst offenders that cause damage to the macerators. The fibers plug up the machine cutters so often in municipalities, that companies have redesigned macerators to cut through the tissue.
Residents are reminded to not flush baby wipes or other objects. Instead, you are asked dispose of them in the trash.
Street sweeping
Residents might be seeing a change in price, but not in service when it comes to street sweeping this year.
Street sweeping may be contracted out to Athabasca County for about $12,000 a year.
The machine used by the village is in need of repairs and would cost around $240,000 to purchase a new one.
Council will evaluate the options before making a decision.
Extra funding
The provincial government has allocated Boyle an additional $72,185 for the 2014-2015 fiscal year.
The government awarded municipalities across the province with additional funding from the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) at an announcement Mar. 6.
The funding may be stretched into 2016, but more details will be provided once the provincial government releases its budget this Thursday.
New motor
The cooling tower motor for the Boyle arena is in need of an upgrade this spring. The location of the motor creates condensation that damages the motor and causes noise.
Council is considering adjusting the motor’s location or installing a motor capable of working in wet environments.
AED installation
Visitors with heart conditions can feel reassured the next time they visit the arena and community centre.
Automated External Defibrillators (AED) were installed in both places followed by a CPR and AED training session for village staff last week.