TREENA MIELKE/Rimbey Review
A valve replacement project, phase 1 of planned upgrades to the town’s aging water and sewer infrastructure system, is now underway in Rimbey.
Rimbey CAO Tony Goode said the $100,000 project, of which $66,000 is covered by Building Canada Fund dollars, began on June 29 and will continue through the summer months.
Ten valves will be replaced.
“This project is replacing old, non-working valves, which will help with isolating portions of the water main system in case of breaks,” he said.
So far valves have been replaced on 54th Avenue at 49th and 47th Street and on 51st Avenue at 45th and 47th Street and on 50th Street and 49th Avenue.
Valves will also be replaced on 51st Street at 48th, 50th and 53rd avenues.
Repairs may also be done on aging sidewalks this year, Goode said, adding the town is waiting for a report from Tagish Engineering identifying which portions need to be replaced and upgraded.
Tagish is also doing a study on the town’s aging water and sewer infrastructure, which dates back as far as 1954 in some places.
Water and sewer lines will probably be replaced next year, unless a break occurs before that time, making repair work necessary, Goode said.
He added council will budget for the replacement of these lines in its 2012 budget.
“Our long-term plan is for the upgrading and replacing of the water and sewer lines,” he said.
Public works crews also began work on filling cracks and potholes in town streets in June.
“We got held up because of the weather but will continue as weather permits,” Goode said.