The Westlock Regional Water Service Commission’s (WRWSC) Phase 3 project that will service Westlock County’s northern hamlets will start construction soon.
Director of infrastructure Al Scott told councillors at their Feb. 26 meeting he has received a route diagram of the distribution line, adding the commission is currently developing a road use agreement with T.A. Excavating Ltd.,
Construction will begin with three crews — one boring a hole from Fawcett south, a second working northward towards Pibroch and a third setting up around Dapp to link the two.
“There are a couple of sensitive areas with respect to wetlands in that area, so it makes the most sense to get in and do the drilling in the wintertime while the ground is still frozen,” said Scott.
“But the bulk of the work will be at the south end of the construction line, just outside Westlock.
“The water commission is utilizing the current line owned by the county between Pibroch and Dapp as part of this transmission line.”
The initial stages of Phase 3 of the 46-kilometre waterline north to Fawcett will get underway while the ground is still frozen.
The planned route will follow Range Road 265 to Pibroch, then follow the existing line to Dapp, then move along Highway 661 and turn north on Range Road 272, then turn onto Township Road 642, head west on Range Road 13B and then north into Fawcett.
Scott said roads along the proposed route could be restricted to one-lane traffic while work commences.
“We did request information be provided to the county earlier rather than later,” he said. “This work will be going on all the way this year. If everyone was paying attention, that is both in spring seeding and fall harvest, so we want to alert producers who might be affected by that, because there is going to be some modification to traffic.
“The line is going to be drilled directionally, mostly following the west end of the range roads. So if producers have to plan different routes, we want to make sure they have that information.”
He added the county would post any road issues on its website and he would be having bi-weekly construction meetings.
Scott also told council he asked the WRWSC to hold off on installing two water vaults that landowners will be able to plug into until after the main line is in place so the county knows which landowners want the service.
Landowners would have to cover the cost of plugging into the line themselves.
“If you can imagine trying to pick, in a 46-kilometre line, where the best place to put two vaults is, you’re guaranteed to get it in the wrong spot,” he said. “So what we’ve asked is that the vaults be stored and once the line is connected and people have had a chance to think about the costs and requirements to hook on, if we get a cluster of people in one particular area we can install the vault there.”
Water commission manager Edward LeBlanc said the work has to be done by Sept. 1.
He added anyone interested in “tapping off” the water line — hooking into one of the vaults, should contact him at either (780) 348-5356 or by e-mail at [email protected].
