Adverse weather conditions have pushed back the targeted completion date of a treated waterline extension project from Falher to the Village of Donnelly to the end of February. That’s the official word from Marco Gervais, manager of Smoky River Regional Water Commission, in response to the status of the waterline project which will eventually see Donnelly residents tapping in to the commission’s treated water source from Falher. “Inclement weather in December resulted in a requested extension of the water pipeline installation contract by Glen Armstrong Contruction in Peace River until the end of February,” Gervais tells the Express. The pipeline installation project is presently taking place just south of now defunct Falher Alfalfa and carries a price tag of $1.1 million. That expense is being cost-shared on a 90/10 percent basis between the Government of Alberta and Smoky River Regional Water Commission with provincial funding being derived from the Water For Life Program. Gervais says the commission’s funding commitment of 10 percent is being recovered through the sale of treated water to its existing partners, including Falher, Girouxville, Donnelly, Municipal District of Smoky River and the Smoky River Water Coop. The waterline infrastructure project involves the installation of 5,265 lineal metres of pipeline from a new metering station located just east of Falher to Donnelly’s pumping station. An additional 1,000 lineal metres of pipeline was also required to connect the metering station to the water commission’s existing line in Falher. The metering station is needed to effectively monitor the amount of treated water leaving Falher and going to Donnelly. A second component of the project involves upgrade work to Donnelly’s aging water treatment plant to accept treated water from Falher – a plan which will essentially eliminate the need for water treatment services within the village. The upgrade work will consist of new pumps, electronic controllers, pipes and a standby generator. “We’re hoping to shut down operations at the treatment plant by the end of January,” Gervais explains, adding that treated water will originate from Falher. The upgrades in Donnelly are being carried out by AEGIS Mechanical out of High Level and is expected to commence on Feb. 1 with a completion date of July or August of this year. Project cost Total project cost is $2.17 million with phase two being cost-shared on a 75/25 split by the Alberta government (under its Waste Water Partnership Program) and the Village of Donnelly.