Wastewater Disposal Fee Increase

Effective January 1, 2021, user fees for wastewater hauled to any Lagoon within Lac Ste. Anne County’s boundaries will increase from $45.00 per legal load to $55.00 per legal load. A legal load is defined as the gross vehicle weight limit of the transport vehicle in accordance with Alberta Transportation Standards.

The County expects wastewater haulers to adhere to the legal load limits of their vehicles at all times. Please contact the County administration office at 780.785.3411 (toll-free 1.866.880.5722) for questions or concerns related to the January 1 lagoon dumping fee increase.

Managing Capacity, Mitigating Risk and Finding New Ways

Lac Ste. Anne County is responsible for operating its lagoon systems and related infrastructure in compliance with rigorous federal and provincial standards. Infrastructure considerations include not only day-to-day lagoon management and periodic lifespan-critical activities like sludge removal, but also maintenance of heavily-used roadways to these facilities; and acquisition and use of devices to accurately measure the weight, volume and quality of effluent prior to disposal.

The January 1 user fee increase helps the County offset the considerable lagoon infrastructure, operational and maintenance costs while remaining on par – and sometimes below – wastewater dumping fees charged by adjacent municipalities. These fees are established and assessed by the North 43 and Darwell Lagoon Commissions; free-standing corporate entities that set their own rates in accordance with Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) wastewater disposal cost models. 

By aligning its lagoon dumping fees with fair market rates, the County is better equipped to maintain the present wastewater quality and capacity standards of its lagoons while allocating partial funding for longer-term solutions such as its recently-completed North 43 lagoon & sewer force main; vital infrastructure that has significantly reduced regional wastewater management via vac trucks, holding tanks and field systems.

The County has taken a proactive stance on protecting its lagoon systems, mitigating risk, and addressing the considerable environmental degradation that private sewage systems have impacted on its lakes for years. In the near term, this stance allows for the adoption of a sensible, sustainable solution for the maintenance of its existing lagoon systems.

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