SUNDRE – Work was expected to start Monday on replacing leaking waterlines under Sundre’s Centre Street North near the Highway 27-Main Avenue intersection.
In light of the discovery of several waterline leaks along the street, council approved emergency repairs to avoid the possibility of the situation further deteriorating into something more serious as well as to avoid doing the work next year when Transportation and Economic Corridors is expected to begin work on the major Highway 27-Main Avenue overhaul and resurfacing project.
The municipality had in its 2025 capital plan already budgeted a project for the underground utility replacement as well as surface improvements along a section of Centre Street north of the intersection with the highway, the first phase of which was done this summer.
To avoid overlapping construction work with TEC’s plans for Highway 27, council ultimately decided to reschedule the second phase of the Centre Street project off to 2026.
“Doing this project in 2025 would create massive problems with traffic,” Linda Nelson, the town's chief administrative officer, told council on Sept. 9.
“But we’re bringing forward a rather urgent request because of some deficiencies that had been discovered in very first part of the underground in Centre Street,” said Nelson, who then introduced Carl McDonnell, the municipality’s project manager.
As part of the review process for the Highway 27 project, McDonnell said Centre Street was one of the areas that was looked at.
“We did video tape the sewer line that runs from Centre Street from First (Street NW) basically to the (Bearberry Creek) Bridge,” he told council.
“Once you get about half way down the block about to where the (Sundre United) Church is, the sanitary line was under water; we were unable to video that area. So, it indicated to us that there was an infiltration issue.”
That meant not much work could be done in that area while the town’s underground project on Highway 27 was going forward, he said, adding that several options were then considered once that work was completed.
“We reviewed all of those facilities that are in that area; we did notice that there was some weeping tile tied to the sanitary in one facility. It was contributing a bit of water, but not a whole lot,” he said.
Further efforts to investigate the source of the problem determined ground water was not a major factor, “which would have led us to the water leak as the main contributor,” he said, adding listening devices were subsequently placed on valves in the area.
“With the listening devices that were put out overnight, we were able to detect possibly four water leaks in that block area,” he said.
“But we also have (another) water leak – there’s a service line that goes in front of Red Apple to Traders and over to the RV dealership; they share a service and we have a known leak between those two services as well,” he said.
“So within that area, we know we have five suspected leaks.”
That discovery prompted the proposal to administration to consider replacing the water line without delay, he said.
“With Alberta Transportation coming in and doing their work on Highway 27 next year, detouring onto First (Street NW), Centre Street will be a very busy roadway,” he said.
“And in the event over the winter or spring or during their construction that one of these breaks becomes much larger or causes an issue, that would mean shutting down Centre Street at the same time that everyone is being detoured onto First and then onto Myron Thompson Way, which has been a nightmare for traffic in that area,” he elaborated.
The recommended contractor had already been involved in the first phase of the underground utility upgrades and is therefore familiar with the situation and was available to do the emergent work within the next couple of weeks, council also heard.
“The next couple of weeks is critical, not because of the waterline, but because of the paving. Again, Centre Street is a very busy roadway. We wouldn’t want to leave it as a gravel roadway while the work is being done,” he said.
With the timelines presented, Coun. Owen Petersen asked whether the project had been tendered.
The contractor that had already done some work on the underground services along Highway 27 was sought out as tendering the project would require a four-week process that would not allow for the time needed to repave the road, said McDonnell.
Coun. Jaime Marr asked if the project would also include repairing the waterline for the businesses that share the service.
“What we are proposing, is we would run a new service line down the alley and stub it off and then the RV dealership would have the ability to tie on to that service, and then the cost to put that service in would be borne by the landowner,” said McDonnell.
Coun. Paul Isaac brought up the estimated price tag of $675,000 and asked if that cost included the second phase.
“That’s just this year to replace waterline,” replied McDonnell, later adding when Isaac followed up to ask that an estimate on the second phase has not yet been obtained.
Petersen also followed up to ask whether there would be another disruption to residents and businesses in the area in two years during the second phase or if this work would suffice.
“This project intends on fixing the water leaks in that area; that’s what that’ll address, and the repavement will just be the area that we disturb,” said McDonnell.
“To come back in two years to do the sidewalk, curb, gutter and roadway, would be another disruption,” he said.
Marr asked about the possibility of including the curb and gutter in one go, but McDonnell recommended against that approach as it would require a tendering process and that contractors this late in the season are already very busy and would therefore charge a premium. There would also be no guarantee that there would be enough time to properly finish the concrete, which needs time to set, he added.
Marr also wanted to know if the nearby businesses had been approached.
“The decision we make tonight is going to impact them, potentially,” she said.
“We’ve been telling them we’re looking for leaks; we didn’t indicate any decision of council,” said McDonnell, adding that notifying them about the impending work would only take place once the project is approved.
Coun. Connie Anderson was also told when he asked that businesses and residents would still be receiving water through temporary connections.
In response to a question from mayor Richard Warnock, McDonnell said the road will be closed for a portion of the process due to the nature of the water line that runs at an angle across Centre Street.
“Sounds like you do have a plan there,” said Warnock. “We all know the detriment of water leaks and the damage that they can cause.”
Marr asked if busing and transportation had also been addressed, and McDonnell said it would be the same process as before with Chinook’s Edge School Division being notified.
“The risk to the town for not fixing our leaks is apparent as what’s going on in other municipalities,” said Petersen, who made the motion to approve the project that was unanimously carried.
“I don’t love that these jobs get rushed, but it’s an important thing to do,” the councillor said.
“So, I hope that this goes very smoothly and that the snows stays away and we get this fixed up.”
