Calgary might extend wastewater services to 120 homes outside city boundaries
Currently, wastewater is trucked across the reservoir 4 times a day
A council committee is recommending Calgary extend its wastewater service to 120 houses outside the city limits.
Currently, wastewater is hauled by truck from Elbow Valley West into Calgary — meaning four trucks get sent into the city every day.
"From an environmental perspective, it's become very clear that sending trucks of sewage across our rivers and streams, over our reservoir, four times a day, everyday, is not an environmental win when you can just remove a plug," said Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra.
Calgary has been providing water and wastewater services to nearby communities since the early 1960s.
Pipes are already in the ground to hook up Elbow Valley, which is located next to Elbow Valley West along the Highway 8 corridor, to city wastewater services, so the intergovernmental affairs committee recommended Wednesday the city sign a deal with Rocky View County to take over wastewater service.
Carra said extending the service would have little cost.
Instead of paying contractors $480 for the sewage to be hauled out, each household would be charged approximately $40 a month by the city for wastewater service.
"It's sort of a win-win-win for everyone. The people who lose out are the private sector contractors who are trucking the sewage," Carra said.
Council will discuss the matter later this month.
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With files from Scott Dippel