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Utilities

Utilities

In the County of Paintearth No. 18 the water supply for residents, agriculture, and commercial users consists of  water wells, cisterns or the County water system.

The County receives water from the Red Deer River via the Shirley McClellan Regional Water Services Commission (SMRWSC), and it is treated by the Town of Stettler. In the fall of 2011, the County strategically placed three reservoirs in Halkirk, Crowfoot Industrial Park, and Coronation Area. Currently there is 40.5 miles (65 km) of waterline in the County. The County owns 24.5 miles (39.5 km) of waterline.

The Halkirk Reservoir has a capacity of 1,600 m3 and services the Village of Halkirk, a bulk water station and the Halkirk Waterline.

The Crowfoot Reservoir has a capacity of 1,500 m3 and currently serves the businesses located within the Industrial Park and has a bulk water station.

The Coronation Reservoir is the largest of the three and has a capacity of 3,700 m3. It serves the Town of Coronation and has a colocation agreement with the Shirley on the Brownfield Transmission Line that serves the rural residents along Secondary Highway 872, the Hamlet of Brownfield as well as  a bulk water station.

The County is committed to provide you with a clean, secure and reliable water source.

Potential New Service Connections

Typical meter vault installation

Type of Water Service

Currently the County operates a high-pressure system provided there is sufficient capacity to provide the additional rate of flow without affecting the service levels of other customers.

Rural Residents

Residents considered adjacent of an installed water line, may submit a Water Modelling Application and relevant fee to the County. If the water model returns that the connection is viable for your property, you may continue the process of applying for a Customer Service Application & Agreement.

There are eleven connection points on the SMRWSC transmission waterline that can be used by County residents at various road allowances and can be viewed under the Water Line Distribution. In 2022 the SMRWSC will allow hot tapping from the transmission line to anyone who is adjacent and wants to connect. Because the nature of the SMRWSC system is to deliver water to reservoirs when needed, and there will be times when the system is pumping water, all residences connected to the line must have either a private cistern or a rural water reservoir for water storage. The process of applying for a service connection remains the same and you will be a County of Paintearth customer.

The costs for installation of the service connection is the responsibility of the landowner and must be done in accordance with County standards.

Urban Residents

Hamlets in the County with water service do not require a water model verification. On unserviced lots, any new development  or redevelopment will be required to obtain a Service Connection.

Bulk Water Stations

Picture of the Crowfoot Truck Fill

Halkirk Truck Fill
Crowfoot Truck Fill
Brownfield Truck Fill

Anyone can fill up at these stations which are open 24 hours a day.

The Brownfield and Crowfoot Truck Fills have the ability to be coin operated or using a 4-digit PIN number. There is a $200 minimum for a  pre pay Bulk Water Account at Crowfoot.

For the Brownfield Truck Fill contact the Shirley McClellan Regional Water Services Commission in order to use the PIN Access at (403) 742-4441

For the Crowfoot truck fill, complete the Bulk Water Pre-Pay Account form online or at the County Office to create your bulk water account.

Halkirk is operated by coin only at this time.

Water Rate - $5.00/m3

Non-Potable Bulk Water Stations

Veldt Tank Loader – NW 12-38-15 W4
Hamilton Tank Loader – NE 32-35-10 W4

These bulk stations are only used for agriculture, Emergency Services, and County use. They are coin operated only and accept loonies and toonies. They are also operated 24 hours a day.

Water Rate - $1.00 per 100 gallons or $2.20/m3

Water Wells

Water Well Diagram

Things to consider when drilling a well:

  • Alberta Water Well Information Database is maintained by the Groundwater Information Centre.
  • Contact Alberta Health Services, at your local Public Health Unit they can provide water sampling. Castor Community Health Centre and the Coronation Community Health Centre
  • Private water well owners in Alberta are responsible for managing and maintaining their water wells. The Working Well program provides well owners with the information and tools they need to properly care for their wells.

Water + Sewage Bylaw

Download Bylaw 690-20

Utility Rates

Effective Jan 16, 2024, the metered water rate is $3.30 per cubic meter of water. That rate applies across the entire County.
Bulk water rates for potable water is $5.00 per cubic meter and for non-potable water it is $2.20 per cubic meter.
Detailed rate information can be found in Schedule “D” Rates, Fees and Charges.

Effective July 21, 2020 the County’s new Water and Sewage Bylaw came in to effect that made it clear what everyone’s responsibilities were. The Bylaw states in Schedule “D” Service Connection Fees and Costs:

3.The Customer is responsible for paying the actual cost incurred by the County in providing and installing the Water Service Line or Sewer Service Line or both, as applicable, as well as any extension of a Water Main or Sewer Main which may be required to connect the Water Service Line or Sewer Service Line, as the case may be. Payment of any and all connection fees/costs charged by the County in respect of connection to the Water System or the Sewer System, and the receipt of the Utility Services, shall be paid as follows:

(1)  in respect of the construction of the extension of a Sewer Service Line or Sewer Main, in full prior to commencement of construction of the Sewer Service Line or Sewer Main;

(2) in respect of the construction of the extension of a Water Service Line or Water Main:

(a) in full prior to commencement of construction of the extension of the Water Service Line or Water Main; OR
(b) 50% of the estimated costs prior to commencement of construction of the extension of a Water Service Line or Water Main, and the balance of the costs prior to connection of the water Service Connection and/or commencement of the Water Services; OR
(c) paid by additional equal monthly fee/rate rider concurrently with all other service fees or charges, for a period of Sixty (60) months calculated on the actual costs of construction, as an additional cost of service to the Customer not applicable to any other customers.

at the option of the Customer.

The Customer will be required to enter into a customer service application and agreement addressing the construction, costs and payments. Without restricting the service application and agreement, if the monthly fee/rate rider is selected the Customer shall ensure that any purchaser or transferee of the Customer’s Property agrees to assume the outstanding balance and fee/rate rider, failing which the Customer shall pay out the balance of the unpaid fee/rate rider. A notice of the fee/rate rider and presence of outstanding balance of costs of construction may be registered on title to the Customer’s Property by caveat.

Water Line Distribution

Map of County of Paintearth Waterline Infrastructure

There are 5 distinct regions as shown on the County Distribution Map along with the two Rural Tank Loaders. The connection points for further development on the SMRWSC are shown on the County Distribution Map.

  1. Halkirk Reservoir – services the residents of the Village and the Halkirk Waterline
  2. Crowfoot Reservoir – services the Crowfoot Industrial Park
  3. Coronation Reservoir – services the Town of Coronation and
  4. Residents along the Brownfield Transmission Line and
  5. The Hamlet of Brownfield

The County owns and operates the Crowfoot Reservoir, operates and cost shares the Halkirk Reservoir, and cost shares the Coronation Reservoir.

The Brownfield Transmission Line and Brownfield Truck Fill are owned by the SMRWSC, but the responsibility of the rural residents along that line are the County’s.

Water Quality

Where Does Your Water Come From And Is It Safe?

There are two major sources of drinking water: surface water and groundwater. Surface water comes from lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. Most of Alberta’s population gets water from surface water sources. Groundwater comes from either wells or springs, which are fed by underground water sources called aquifers.

The main reason for treating or disinfecting public water supplies is to kill pathogens, which are disease-causing organisms transmitted by water. Some examples of waterborne diseases and disease-causing organisms are cholera, typhoid, E.Coli, Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

Alberta Environment issues “waterworks system” operating approvals to Alberta’s municipalities. These approvals clearly outline the municipalities’ responsibilities for:

  • treatment requirements
  • performance standards
  • compliance sampling
  • monitoring-reporting requirements

By law in Alberta, water from treatment facilities must also meet standards based on Health Canada’s stringent Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.

How does the County ensure your drinking water is safe?

Drinking water safety depends on several key elements:

  • good water supply and treatment systems
  • proper operation and maintenance of waterworks systems
  • comprehensive monitoring for drinking water quality
  • appropriate steps for correction and enforcement

One way the County does this is by flushing. Regularly flushing the watermains is an important part of a preventative maintenance program and is the most effective in scouring of the inside of the water pipe, removal of sediments (built up silt and biofilms), maintain chlorine residuals and clear the system of any dis-coloured water.

Contact Utilities

Jeff Cosens, Director of Environmental Services
P: 403.882.3211
C: 403.740.9183

Mitch Elhard, Utilities Officer
P: 403.882.3211
C: 403.740.4952