Members of the Westlock Regional Water Services Commission had a chance to see much of the new system when they went on an all-encompassing tour last Tuesday.
On July 16, 15 people piled into a school bus to take a look at various components of the WRWSC, ranging from the raw-water intake along the Pembina River to the pumping station located in Busby.
“The biggest thing is all members don’t know everything,” said WRWSC chair Clem Fagnan, explaining the purpose of the tour. “They knew what was going on, but not the exact details.”
Fagnan went on to say the commissioners decide what the commission will do, and vote to buy and install the necessary equipment, but don’t often get the chance to see what they’re investing in. The tour was their opportunity to see just what their decisions produced.
The tour started at the Westlock Rotary Spirit Centre, and headed out to the raw-water intake along the Pembina River on Range Road 11, immediately south of the Bethel Bible Camp.
From there, the bus moved on to the two main reservoirs, also located on RR 11. Commissioners learned the two reservoirs are equipped with ultrasonic anti-algae equipment, and each hold close to 400,000 cubic metres of water.
The next stop was in the Westlock industrial park to take a look at the in-town reservoir and water treatment station. Commissioners were able to get into the room where the treatment vats are located, and were given a brief lesson in how the facility cleans the water.
Following a lunch break back at the Spirit Centre, commissioners got back on the bus and were ferried east to look at a booster station located on RR 262 south of Highway 18. They were informed the booster station increases the water pressure along the transmission line in order to get it to its destination in Clyde and Vimy.
The remaining two stops were in Clyde and Busby, in both cases to examine the pumping stations in those communities.
Leaving Busby, the bus travelled back to Westlock along the county roads, following the route of the water line between the town and Busby, mainly along RR 271.
Westlock mayor Bruce Lennon said he found the tour very informative, filling in the gaps in what he already knew about the commission’s work.
One of the biggest points Lennon took out of the tour was the size of the three reservoirs, and the fact when they’re full, the commission has close to a year’s worth of water stored.
In addition, the choice to take the raw water from the Pembina River puts the commission in a good place right from the start.
“The beauty of it is the raw water is much better,” Lennon said. “It’s much clearer.”
With the new system expected to last more than 40 years, he said it’s a worthwhile investment for the future.
County reeve Charles Navratil said he found the tour valuable.
He also said he was happy with the progress the commission had made, stressing the regional aspect of the system was key to getting it up and running.
While there are still a few outstanding issues that will be resolved once the weather co-operates, overall he’s pleased.
Navratil also said there wasn’t much that surprised him on the tour, as he’s been sitting on the commission since 2007 and knew what to expect.
