Town of Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County are celebrating the groundbreaking for a new wastewater treatment facility that will serve both Town and County residents.

Town of Rocky Mountain House Mayor Debbie Baich, Clearwater County Reeve Daryl Lougheed and councillors from both municipalities visited the construction site yesterday for a ceremonial groundbreaking.

Officials say, construction has begun on a state-of-the-art mechanical wastewater treatment facility at the existing wastewater treatment lagoon site.

Town officials say, this $30-million project will ensure compliance with stringent provincial and federal environmental standards and positions the Town to support anticipated growth over the coming decades.

According to officials, the wastewater treatment facility will feature a cutting-edge sequencing batch reactor system, designed to accommodate an expected population of 9,000 residents, while also facilitating the processing of wastewater from Clearwater County properties.

In 2020, The Town of Rocky Mountain House was awarded $10,889,200 in funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (Rural and Northern Communities stream), delivered through Infrastructure Canada, toward the project. Additionally, the Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership Program, delivered through Alberta Transportation, is contributing an additional $9,073,426.

To guarantee the project’s success, the balance is cost-shared between the two municipalities, where the County will contribute 25.4 per cent and the Town 74.6 per cent, as per the Wastewater Treatment Capital Funding Agreement.

In an era where environmental conservation is paramount, officials say this collaborative effort represents a significant stride toward safeguarding the area’s natural surroundings and serving the needs of an ever-expanding community.