Leduc County considers small volume fill station in New Sarepta

LEDUC COUNTY -- Residents of New Sarepta could soon be able to fill five-gallon water jugs at their local reservoir.

This comes as Leduc County is considering the feasibility of adding a new fill station, which they say would accommodate rural and hamlet residents who often face limited access, and must travel to nearby towns or cities to procure potable water in small volumes. 

Leduc County currently operates three bulk water fill stations -- two in Nisku and one in New Sarepta -- however, these are designed primarily for large-volume users, including agricultural, commercial, and residential haulage.

According to County staff, providing a local refill station would increase convenience for New Sarepta and nearby rural residents, especially those lacking access to in-home water treatment or delivery services. They add that this aligns with Leduc County's objective of ensuring equitable access to core services across all regions of the County.

The County says that a pilot project could evaluate usage patterns, demand, and cost recovery, and that the results could inform future decisions regarding similar services in other hamlets. In order to install 20-litre jug filling capabilities, some work would be needed due to size constraints at the New Sarepta reservoir.

It's estimated that the cost for installing the 20-litre filling station would be around $55,000, while operational costs would come in at around $19,000. These costs do not include the modifications required to be done to relocate some of the panels inside the reservoir on south side. 

The idea for a new small volume filling station at the New Sarepta reservoir was brought forward by a resident of the County.