The Village of Clyde faces just over $9 million worth of infrastructure repairs over the next decade, with $3.6 million cited as immediate.
That’s the summation of a 226-page report prepared by Associated Engineering and accepted by Village of Clyde councillors at their Dec. 14 meeting.
The document, which outlines repairs that will cost the community an estimated $9,195,116 over the next 10 years, is intended for the village’s municipal viability committee and provides an in-depth assessment of the municipality’s roadways, wastewater and water systems.
Of that $9 million figure, $3.6 million worth of repairs are listed as “immediate” — repairs which have the potential to “impact public health, safety, and the environment.”
The report also makes reference to several recommendations from a water distribution plan delivered to the village by ISIL Engineering and Land Services in February 2010.
“We’ve had ongoing infrastructure audits throughout the years, so there’s really no surprises,” village Coun. Neil Olson said. “It kind of gives us, as a village, a place where we can set our priorities for repairing the infrastructure as we see fit.”
At the top of that list, are repairs to the village’s water distribution system. According to the report, 1.8 kilometres of piping in eight of the village’s 33 water mains require immediate attention.
Additionally, the village’s fire pump requires an estimated $13,750 upgrade to its combustion air intake and exhaust system.
Clyde’s current fire pump must also be fully replaced at some point over the next decade with a higher capacity pump at an estimated cost of $77,500.
Village mayor Doug Nyal assures residents they’re completing repairs as quickly as budget restraints permit.
“None of that stuff is [immediately] required to be done,” mayor Doug Nyal said.
“If we won a billion-dollar lottery tomorrow, we might go ahead and do all of that, but the operation of what’s going on there now is serving the village well. To do those upgrades for $6 million is not practical and is not necessary.”
In total, $961,750 in repairs to the village’s water delivery system are listed as “Priority 1” or immediately necessary, a point Olson also raised contention with.
“These are recommendations — that’s all they are. We still have to be fiscally responsible and set our priorities,” he said.
Despite the necessary repairs, the report indicates much of Clyde’s water main has an estimated 17 years of service life remaining.
“[Currently] we have no water flow issues; we have no water pressure issues,” Nyal said.
“We haven’t had any and we don’t perceive to have any … it’s like taking your car in and replacing your brakes on it when there’s 30 per cent life left on your brakes. Do you wait until they’re down to 10 per cent or do you replace them now? There’s nothing wrong with your brakes, they’re working fine.”
Sidewalk repairs are also listed among immediately necessary expenses.
Ten of the village’s sidewalks are listed as being in poor condition, requiring repairs pegged at $831,000.
But the most significant “immediate” expenses relate to the village’s wastewater system, the oldest parts of which were installed in 1957.
A total of 896 metres of sewer line is listed as being in “poor” condition.
Additionally the lagoon, which holds byproduct from the village’s waste management facility, requires desludging, which will cost an estimated $107,000.
Repairs to settlement and dips in the north berm and sloughing on the west and north interior berms will cost another $667,000.
Associated Engineering has offered to help the municipality seek grant funding to cover infrastructure expenses.
The report will now be passed on to Clyde’s municipal viability committee for review.
“It’s part of a larger information gathering for the viability committee and the council to make their decision,” said Olson, who also sits as council’s representation on the municipal viability committee.
Over the coming months, it will be up to the committee to decide whether Clyde retains municipality status or is absorbed into Westlock County.
“That will be up to the province,” Olson said.
“They are the ones spearheading and facilitating all of the decisions. They are the ones driving it. We have no say in when it will be.”
