Thorsby continues work on regional water partnership

THORSBY -- The Town of Thorsby continues its work towards a new regional water distribution model.

This comes as part of a regional partnership with Wetaskiwin County, which was originally announced in April. Under the agreement, the two jurisdictions are looking to establish new infrastructure to allow for Thorsby to ship some of its local drinking water throughout the Wetaskiwin County region. Thorsby Mayor Darryl Hostyn spoke about what this will mean for his municipality. 

"Well, it would be water for them -- and then for the Town of Thorsby it would be a way for us to sell our water -- or put it into the corporation," said Hostyn in conversation with the One.

To guide their work, both municipalities have proposed the creation of a Municipally Controlled Corporation (MCC). This formal partnership structure would support planning, infrastructure development, and potential service delivery. Meantime, Mayor Hostyn says that Thorsby has been working on getting their water to market for decades.

"We've been kicking tires for probably twenty-five years trying to get some partners, in some way, to sell the water that we have," said Hostyn. "They actually came to us, and we've been discussing this for about a year to get to the point we're at now."

According to Wetaskiwin County, they first decided to pursue a partnership with Thorsby due to their current dependence on wells. They believe that the initiative will secure a reliable water supply that meets their immediate needs, and supports future growth throughout the greater region. As for a timeline, it’s expected that the completion of the new water distribution model -- stemming from Thorsby's water treatment centre -- is still a few years away.

"By the time that you look at grants with the government, and lobbying for pipeline prospects, we're looking at three to four years probably," said Dona Tona, Chief Administrative Officer with the Town of Thorsby.

Both Thorsby and Wetaskiwin County continue to invite all stakeholders -- residents, businesses, and neighboring communities -- to provide their feedback on the plans.