West Inter Lake District (WILD) Regional Water Services
Commission
Wild was formed as a result of meetings that started some 6 or 7
years ago, by some municipalities in the Counties of Lac Ste. Anne
and Parkland with those counties as there was significant concern
about water quality, quantity and potability. As a result of those
meetings a partnership of 16 municipalities has emerged to form
this commission that has been approved by the Government of the
Province of Alberta.
The member municipalities are ; County of Lac Ste. Anne,
County of Parkland, the villages of Alberta Beach, Onoway and
Wabamun, the Summer Villages of Castle Island, Lake View, Nakamun
Park, Ross Haven, Sandy Beach, Seba Beach, Sunrise Beach, Sunset
Point, Val Quentin, West Cove and Yellowstone.
A major driving force for the commission has been water
quality in 2 of the villages that have water distribution services.
Wabamun in part because of the railway spill into Lake Wabamun can
no longer count on using water drawn from the lake to supply its
residents let alone cope with their planned expansions. The Onoway
situation is not much better as water is currently provided to the
residents from wells that are reaching their limits and as we all
know in both counties the quality and quantity of well water leaves
a lot to be desired.
After many meetings and looking at options for a good
water supply the commission is now working with the Capital Region
Parkland Water Services Commission which would mean that high
quality potable water can be made available to our region from
water sourced from the E.L. Smith water plant situated in
Edmonton.
The project is a multi-year primarily pipeline and truck
fill construction project and is expensive but believed to be
manageable with the help of Government of Alberta grants and the
provinces position on "Water for Life" strategies. Negotiations are
ongoing with the appropriate government departments and the
significant help of our 2 Members of the Legislative Assembly: MLA
Fred Lindsay and MLA George VanderBurg.