An operational concept plan for Smoky River Water Management Commission to operate a regional water system has been endorsed in principle by the Town of Falher.

At its regular meeting April 3, Falher council gave its support to a plan to transfer all assets and infrastructure connected to treatment and storage of raw water, and debts, from the municipality to the water commission.

“If we can regionalize our water system, we can accomplish as much, as we have with waste management,” says Councillor Victor Fournier, who serves on the water commission as a Falher representative. “I think it’s time we go with one regional system.”

Full transfer of the system could be finalized by Jan. 1, 2007, says town administrator Gerard Nicolet.

“Economics of scale show that if we have one major system, it should be more efficient and economical,” says Mayor Margaret Tardif, rather than several smaller systems duplicating services.

Several years ago, local municipal representatives of the region were told by then environment minister Ed Stelmach during a meeting that the Smoky River region has among the lowest water rates in Alberta. The minister, in turn, encouraged local municipalities to develop a regional water system, says Tardif.

All affected infrastructure would be transferred to the commission for a value of $1 with debt owing on the infrastructure at the date of transfer would be assumed by the commission.

Under the concept, the commission would own and operate all infrastructure, forming a part of the raw water supply, storage treatment plant, and treated water transmission systems.

The provincial government wants to see regional systems not community systems, says public work director Ernie Marchildon.

The ownership and operating costs of each municipal distribution system at the point of departure from the pump-house in Falher, Donnelly, Guy, and Jean Cote would remain the responsibility of each municipality or Smoky River Water Co-op.

Costs arising from the operation, maintenance, and repair of the system would be recovered through utility rates.

Falher supports the commission’s proposal to construct a pipeline from Falher to Donnelly, says Nicolet.

With the Village of Donnelly participating in the system, budget projections indicate a savings of 50 cents per cubic metre for all users of the system, he adds.

The commission would set its rates annually for the supply of treated water and each municipality would then establish its local rates for distribution.

For the operation, the commission would be required to hire one full-time utility manager and one operator.

In the event of major repairs to the water treatment plant or other infrastructure, work would be contracted out to private firms or municipalities.

Administrative services would be contracted from one of the commission’s member municipalities to provide:

- General administrative duties including meeting preparation, recording of minutes, and correspondence;

- Accounting and financial reporting;

- Research and planning, and;

- Invoicing municipalities and the water co-op for sales of treated water

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