Lacombe County approved the creation of a four-acre site for new septic waste receiving station despite concerns from neighbours.
The site about eight km northeast of Sylvan Lake will feed a 13-km line to Sylvan Lake’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Hager said two letters were received from adjacent property owners concerned about traffic, noise and odour.
“Council looked at that and considered it. But in fact, in the end, they did approve it.”
The property owners could not be reached for comment Friday.
Tenders closed on the receiving station Thursday and it is hoped the project will be awarded by the end of the month.
Waste will go directly from the truck into the receiving station.
“It will be monitored and tested in terms of any hydrocarbons and such and then it will be put directly into the pipeline. So there’s actually not going to be anything stored there,” said Hager.
The maximum number of trucks expected would be 28 a day, assuming that communities did not hook up to a regional sewer line. “Initially, you wouldn’t see anywhere near that number. But that could be the worst-case scenario.”
The Summer Village of Birchcliff is already looking at an internal collection system and hooking up to a regional line. That would reduce demand at the receiving station.
The septic receiving station gives summer villages and acreage developments in Lacombe and Red Deer counties a place to truck their waste.
The province has committed $3.2 million to the line, which is expected to be built this year. The county recently approved $430,000 to ensure the line is over-sized to handle future developments in the area.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com
