City of Cold Lake council voted against a motion to support mediation with Bonnyville and the Regional Utilities Services Commission (RUSC) last Tuesday.
The defeat put to rest the request made by the Town of Bonnyville after Environment Minister Rob Renner advised the Town to seek mediation with Cold Lake and restart the water supply line discussions after the RUSC pulled the application last year.
Bonnyville Mayor Ernie Isley said he “fully expected” the offer to be turned down, and that the Town would continue to pursue available options for remedying water quality issues.
Cold Lake councillors said mediation misses the point – that not enough data has been collected to confirm that the proposed water supply line to Bonnyville would not affect downstream users.
Alberta Environment endorsed a RUSC feasibility study that concluded Cold Lake water levels could support the pipeline to Bonnyville.
“As far as we're concerned, it's a very, very stable water body since monitoring started there in the fifties,” said Alberta Environment spokesperson Jessica Potter over the phone. The feasibility study conducted by the RUSC considered how supplying water to Bonnyville and area would affect lake levels and determined the impact to be negligible.
“The question at hand is what is going to be the impact on Cold Lake to send water down to Bonnyville, and that's a question that hasn't been answered by Alberta Environment at all,” said Cold Lake Coun. Hubert Rodden. He said studies did not determine if inflows to the lake are decreasing, what the effect on outflow would be, and what effect it would have on fish and wildlife in the area.
“There's no mediation at all that can be done to solve this,” said Rodden. “Alberta Environment has to get off its duff and do the proper studies.” He said that there is no dispute between Cold Lake and Bonnyville, and the issue in need of resolution is between Cold Lake and Alberta Environment, “who haven't done their job.”
Mayor Craig Copeland said the city is in a lose-lose situation that would not be helped by mediation. He said talks would need to include ratepayers, First Nations communities, Goodsoil, and members of industry.
“I think it's time that the people of Bonnyville question what in the world has their council been doing for three, four years, and why haven't they invested in their own infrastructure instead of pointing the finger up north and asking (us) to give Cold Lake water?” Copeland asked.
CAO Kevin Nagoya told council due to the funding formula, that even though the water supply line would cost $62 million and an upgraded water plant at Moose Lake significantly less, the water supply line is considered to be the most economical choice for Bonnyville.
The province's Water for Life strategy would cover 90 per cent of the water supply line, while the Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership would only cover 42 per cent of an upgrade at Moose Lake.
Coun. Debra Pelechosky suggested the city could start discussions with Bonnyville, even if it was not a formal mediation process, and they could jointly approach Alberta Environment with their concerns.
“In the spirit of co-operation and partnership with our neighbours, it would be prudent for us to at least meet with them, tell them our side, let them know what our concerns are,” Pelechosky said. She added that all parties with an interest in the lake could be present at a joint session.
Pelechosky moved the motion forward, which council voted down four to one.
Renner's response to Isley recommending mediation also included homage to the Bonnyville Water Treatment Plant. He recommended a study to find out the cost of an upgrade. Council included the suggestion to conduct a study to determine the cost in their motion to also seek mediation with Cold Lake and the RUSC.
Bonnyville Town CAO Mark Power said water from Cold Lake remains the preferred option for Bonnyville. The quality of Moose Lake water requires the town to spend an “inordinate amount of money” on chemical to remove organic matter.