Town approves repair to sanitary pipe

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Strathmore approved the use of $55,000 to make repairs to the Ridge Road Sanitary Project during the April 5 regular meeting of Council.

This repair will be administered to an existing sanitary main which, according to administration, is currently cause for regular extensive maintenance due to a misalignment in the pipe. 

Ethan Wilson, manager of infrastructure for the town, explained to council the correction of the issue will reduce the need for regular maintenance, as well as improve the sanitary service for connected businesses upstream. 

“It is a repair that has been outstanding for a little over a year now … (the) misalignment reduces flow velocity of the sanitary (line) and has caused backups, specifically in this case, of fats, soils and greases,” he said. “Epcor has been very diligent in monitoring, flushing, proper cleaning, but it is excessive maintenance for what we should have to do for a sanitary project.”

The misalignment is in the sanitary main along Ridge Road, near the Co-Op gas station, and services adjacent businesses to the east, including restaurants, hotels and gas stations.

Wilson added the project was debated last year in June, though was put off so as to save money at the time for sanitary emergencies in the fall.

Via the report provided to council in the meeting agenda, it was explained the repair would be financed by the surplus from 2021 and 2022, resulting in no additional tax burden. 

Specifically, the $55,000 was proposed to be taken from the town’s sanitary capital reserve in order to complete the project. 

Administration has broken the project down as delegating $48,000 for Epcor Out of Scope, and $7,000 for paving and contingency. 

“The sanitary line in this area is somewhat shallow for a slope as it is, so it already has low flow,” said Wilson. “When you have a misalignment in there, it stops everything and it backs up and causes flooding.”

Coun. Denise Peterson moved to approve the use of the requested $55,000 to complete the Ridge Road Sanitary Project. The motion was approved unanimously without further discussion.

Following the completion of the project, the result will reduce the maintenance time Epcor spends on the pipe, allowing them to address other issues throughout the town. 

As the repair has now been approved by council, it will be awarded to Epcor as an out-of-scope project and is expected to see completion this summer.