BARRHEAD - The Lightning Bay (Resort) Condo Association wants to know what the County of Barrhead plans to do about the Thunder Lake wastewater lagoon's capacity or lack thereof.
A delegation of nine residents from the association asked councillors that question during the April 16 council meeting.
The Thunder Lake Resort has over residences and is roughly 20 minutes west of Barrhead.
Unfortunately for the delegation, council could not give them a definitive answer, but they are hopeful that an April 17 site visit with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas and together, they can devise a plan to help remedy the situation.
For several years, several of the municipality's wastewater lagoons in Dunstable, Neerlandia, and Thunder Lake have experienced capacity issues, forcing either emergency releases or prolonged closures. The municipality's other wastewater lagoon is in Manola, and the county also pays a fee to Lac Ste. Anne County so residents can use their lagoon wastewater facility.
Recently, the municipality completed an expansive upgrade project, vastly increasing the Neerlandia lagoon's capacity. However, the previously mentioned Thunder Lake and Dunstable wastewater lagoons still have capacity issues.
The lagoon in Dunstable just reopened after a lengthy closure. On April 5, public works closed Thunder Lake lagoon for the season as it was at capacity following a regular spring inspection.
"The closure of the lagoon due to high levels puts Lightning Bay in the situation where its hauling costs are going to increase significantly," said association spokesperson Scott Westerlund, which is why the association wants to work with the municipality to find potential solutions in the short and long term, he said.
One of the short-term measures public works instituted was temporarily lifting the 75 per cent load restriction on the road to Thunder Lake lagoon, increasing it to 90 per cent for the hauler for the Lightning Bay septic.
Earlier in the meeting, infrastructure director Ken Hove said they were able to do this because the road is scheduled for reconditioning this year.
In the long term, Westerlund asked if the municipality could increase the lagoon's capacity through dredging and when it was last done.
"Could we limit its use to the Lightning Bay and Summerlea residents? They are all open tanks, and no solids are going into the lagoon," he said, adding if they did that, the lagoon would remain within its capacity.
Association historian Greg Lindholm said it was a difficult situation, adding that the Prefontaines built the lagoon in the late 1970s; they meant it to serve Lightning Bay Resort and a 300-acre development to the west that never came to be.
"We have our own [septic pumper truck], and the system worked exceptionally well until the Prefontaines ran into trouble and sold the lagoon to the county. The lagoon is not designed for the extra volume after that," he said. "What we are asking is for a little help to keep using the lagoon as intended 40 years ago."
Public works manager Travis Wierenga said he understood the resident's frustrations.
However, he said there are no quick or easy fixes.
Wierenga noted in 2022, the municipality commissioned a study by Associated Engineering, which recommended that lagoon levels be capped at 4,366 cubic metres per year.
He added the study also stated that roughly 30 per cent of the lagoon's capacity "was locked up by sludge."
"It's not a simple process. We cannot just dig it out. There is a lot of testing to do beforehand," he said. "It is highly regulated, and we are in talks with Alberta Environment about our next steps."
Wierenga added that the county had taken steps to help limit the amount of effluent and solid waste entering the lagoon, restricting users to septic haulers servicing Lightning Bay, Summerlea, Hamlet of Thunder Lake, Campsie, Tiger Lake Estates, Cambarr Estates, and Campsie Cove.
"We can't control every load, but we are in contact with the haulers," he said.
Westerlund again suggested limiting the users to fewer areas to ensure the lagoon remains under capacity.
"That is up for discussion by council, but it is a county facility and does serve the area," Wierenga replied.
Another Lightning Bay resident asked if the municipality had plans to construct another lagoon, noting the existing facilities were all on the county's east side.
Reeve Doug Drozd replied that there is nothing immediate in the future, saying there isn't such a facility in the 10-year capital plan.
"A lagoon is an expensive project. The Neerlandia lagoon was over $2 million, and that was an expansion," Wierenga added.
Coun. Walter Preugschas asked where haulers were taking the waste now that Thunder Lake was closed.
Wierenga said most are taking it to Neerlandia, but the Manola facility is almost just as close, adding roughly 55 km.
