Lloydminster’s Wastewater Treatment Plant woes continue as funding for 75 Wastewater Treatment Plants were announced earlier this week in Saskatchewan and the Border City didn’t make the cut.
Council will now have to decide on Monday how to proceed. Mayor Gerald Aalbers says there are two things to consider.
“I believe there is a resolution that a letter be sent to the ministry explaining the situation, how dire we are, asking for an extension in writing from the provincial government of Saskatchewan through the Water Security Agency.”
The next thing is an interim fix.
“The lagoons could use a desludging and what we’re going to be looking at is finding some funding to do that project this year and get it underway. That will increase the length of retention time our water spends in our lagoon, which will lessen some of the environmental impacts we are experiencing.”
As of now no new funding has been promised by either of the provincial governments or the federal government. Mayor Aalbers does not believe that funding will be coming this year.
“I suspect there will be an opportunity, is it going to be in 2017, I’d like to say my fingers are crossed but I’m not holding my breath. ”
Mayor Aalbers adds that if you look at the list of approved projects, the Lloydminster Waste Water Treatment Plant would have been the most expensive. He goes on to say that he will continue to lobby the governments for funding.