Muirfield wastewater solution up in the air

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

After three years many Muirfield residences are becoming restless and angered with the fact there is no solution in sight for their waste water system.
The waste water has been trucked out of Muirfield and to pay for the transportation, the residents could potentially be asked to pay an increase in waste water fees.
The developers believe they have solved the problem for the short-term but it is the long-term that many residents want to see.
“The developer has continued to meet with the county. We’re still going to need a long term solution because what they’ve put in place is only short term.”
One of the possible long-term solutions is to work with the Home Stead Developers but the talks are still on going.
“As far as we know, that is still something on going between the county and that developer in getting those final approvals of those pieces. Right now, as residents, we’re in a bit of a holding pattern trying to see what it’s going to mean in the end financially, knowing it’s short term, not long-term,” said Kipta.
“The last thing I could say, (is that) pretty much what I hear from most of the residents out here is if the different parties work together and come up with a long term viable solution.”
Now that the wastewater is being trucked out of Muirfield, it could cause a substantial raise in fees.
“The original treatment agreement that was put in place by the Muirfield developer has ended as of the beginning of April. The current developer is working on a system where the waste water is being trucked from our collection point to Strathmore and from what I understand Rocky View County has been taken out of the equation completely,” said Kipta.
“The trucking of wastewater can be quite expensive, so what they were looking at as cost recovery with that kind of basis (was) originally, the numbers that were thrown to residents, could raise waste water fees up into the $400 mark. (Before) I believe was $60 flat rate.”
Kipta cautiously echoed that this would not be set in stone until they see proof of the bills.
“The developer does tell us that their intent is to keep it reasonable but until we see anything, we don’t know what the final costs to the residence will be,” said Kipta.
She has praised everyone involved for not quitting and being as patient they can be.
“Everybody is working, everybody is pushing. I don’t see this thing having immediate solutions for any of these piece, there’s frustrations because of it taking a really long time,” said Kipta.
The developer could not be reached to comment on the issues in Muirfield.