Water & Utilities

The MD completed the final stage of a $21.3 million wastewater facility in 2006 that provides rural sewage collection and treatment services to the Southshore communities of Canyon Creek, Widewater, Wagner, and Nine Mile Point.

The Southshore Sewer Project, which was the largest project ever undertaken by the municipality, was also Alberta’s first municipal membrane bioreactor and precedent setting in its use of new, innovative biotechnology.

Construction of a low pressure wastewater collection system, treatment facility, and wetland commenced in 2004 and was completed in late 2005.

Since start-up in early 2006, the state-of-the-art facility has consistently produced high-quality effluent in terms of low organics, suspended solids, nutrients, and microorganisms, which will meet the demands of the community for the foreseeable future while protecting the environment.

Late 2011 saw the installation of a lift station, collector lines, and private service connections to over 250 residences. An additional 150 private service connections are scheduled for completion in 2012. All serviceable residents were required to connect to this municipal wastewater system per Bylaw 2003-08.

This successful project was the result of collaborative efforts of the municipality, Alberta Environment, Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation, Infrastructure Canada-Alberta Program, and area residents.

Your water meter contains two key components: a water meter body through which water passes into your home, and a battery-powered sensor (register) that reads the volume of water that passes through the meter body. In the coming months, the MD Utilities Department will be scheduling visits to households across the region to perform this simple and mandatory sensor replacement. There will be no charges to residents for the sensor replacement.

While the brass body of MD water meters will remain functional for many more years, the existing sensors have a limited lifespan and must be changed periodically. The new sensors incorporate new LED & signalling technology which will improve battery lifespan. These sensors are expected to last between 15 and 20 years. Please note that this water meter sensor replacement is mandatory. Failure to comply with utilities personnel or make your home available may result in actions being taken in accordance with Bylaw 2003-08.

Utilities Staff will begin these water sensor replacements in Flatbush and Smith in November and move to Poplar Lane and the Southshore communities in the first quarter of 2019. The MD must gain access to your home in order to change out and reprogram your water sensor. This will be conducted by MD Utilities Staff through a combination of booked appointments and door knocking. To mitigate the inconvenience, Utilities Staff will make themselves available during evenings and weekends throughout the scheduled sensor replacement activities. In most cases, sensor switch-out and reprogramming will require no more than 15 minutes. To facilitate the switch, the MD asks property owners to be aware of the location of their meters when booking appointments and to ensure unobstructed access to their water meters. Utilities Staff will be using MD-marked vehicles and will have specific Municipal District ID cards to verify their identity.

In addition to saving money on your utility bill, water conservation helps prevent water pollution in nearby lakes, rivers and local watersheds. Conserving water can also can also prevent unnecessary wear on your E-One Grinder Pump that may result in expensive repairs ($3,000.00 + labor).

An average household will run approximately 650 pump cycles per year. Over time, above average water usage may cause premature wear of the pump. A leaky toilet, for example, can cause approximately 440 extra pump cycles per year, cutting the life expectancy of your pump considerably.

We encourage all residents to use the water they need, but not waste it.