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SECTION SEVEN: MUNICIPAL UTILITIES AND SERVICES/INFRASTRUCTURE
10.1
OVERVIEW
Residential, commercial and industrial growth often results in an increased demand for
municipal services and infrastructure. This includes firefighting, police and emergency response;
water, sewer and garbage collection; street construction, repair and cleaning; transit; and
recreation and parks programs and services. As already emphasized in this Plan, all of the
goals in the different sections support each other and should be implemented together to
achieve the overall vision. A key focus of the City of Prince Albert 2007 Strategic Plan is to:
“…identify needs, evaluate solutions, and plan long-term sustainable strategies for improved
infrastructure performance at the best available cost with the least environmental impact”. The
provision of infrastructure and services ensures a vibrant and secure community. Municipal
services and infrastructure influence public health and safety through the provision of:



safe drinking water;
safe roadways and bridge; and
proper solid and liquid waste disposal and collection.
These programs and facilities are paid for by developers through development levies (Section
169 of The Planning and Development Act, 2007) and the taxpayer either through tax dollars or
direct user fees. The City shall continue to find ways to keep those costs reasonable. Regional
cooperation in the delivery of some municipal services has potential to reduce costs and
improve services to residents of the whole region.
10.1.1 GOAL:
Invest in building and maintaining infrastructural facilities/services in a comprehensive,
sustainable and innovative manner. The subdivision and development of land shall not be
permitted without the provision of full services and utilities (public works) except in the
Nordale and Hazeldell areas and as specified otherwise in this Plan. These services shall
include:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
sanitary sewage disposal;
water supply; and
roadway.
These services may also include:



10.1.1.1
(i)
(ii)
storm water management;
electrical power, natural gas, telephone, fiber, and cable television service; and
transit service.
POLICIES:
Complete an assessment (lifecycle) of the city’s infrastructure, which identifies
needs, evaluates solutions, and prioritizes long-term sustainable strategies for
improving infrastructure and performance on existing and future land use;
Develop a Capital Improvement Plan for expenditures such as roads, highways,
water and sewer facilities and public buildings to be integrated with land use,
financial and corporate business plans;
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
(viii)
(ix)
10.2
Extend infrastructure and services to areas in Prince Albert in an orderly, logical,
efficient and cost–effective manner consistent with this Plan;
Develop cost estimates that include capital and operating needs;
Do not extend services outside the City without an annexation strategy, and do not
annex unless accompanied by a strategy for extending services and allocation costs;
Pursue when possible innovative technologies that minimize cost and environmental
impacts including green technologies like rain gardens, rain water retention, gray
water recycling, non-potable water use for irrigation, storm water discharge organic
filtering;
Develop a high speed internet system with fiber, and local access to WiFi;
Plan for infrastructure impacts from flood and other disasters through development
and recovery plans; and
Pursue when possible innovative technologies that minimize cost and environmental
impacts.
WATER
Saskatchewan, and Prince Albert, is fortunate to have plenty of fresh water. We rely on water
for everything from drinking to agriculture, industry and recreation. It is important to balance
consumption with supply. Rivers, creeks, sloughs, lakes and ground-water have ecological
functions within the entire region.
Conserving water helps preserve water quality and quantity and reduces costs linked to
municipal pumping and treatment. This increases funding available for infrastructure renewal or
replacement in other areas.
Prince Albert’s drinking water comes from the North Saskatchewan River. We get our drinking
water from this source and we discharge our wastewater and storm water into it. However,
water supplies extend beyond our boundaries. The city is part of the North Saskatchewan River
Watershed and it is important to protect our source water in cooperation with other
organizations and government agencies. Prince Albertans receive water treated upstream that
should meet provincial requirements. However, we also have the responsibility to ensure that
water flow downstream meets provincial requirements as well.
10.2.1 GOAL:
Protect the City’s water quality and supply.
10.2.1.1
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
10.3
POLICIES:
Encourage water conservation through public education and other programs;
Maintain and upgrade the water treatment works and when necessary;
Require all developments to pay their share for the provision of water service through
development levies or local improvements;
Continue to extend water services to developing areas of Prince Albert in an orderly,
logical, efficient, and cost-effective manner that is consistent with the Plan; and
Continue to maintain the water quality and capacity to meet the needs of Prince
Albertan residents, businesses and industries.
WASTEWATER
The J.W. Oliver Pollution Control Centre was constructed in 1972 to provide primary wastewater
treatment for the City of Prince Albert before discharging the water into North Saskatchewan
River. The Pollution Control Centre was upgraded and operational in 2001 to achieve secondary
treatment. The performance of this plant far exceeds our expectations and easily meets the
Provincial Standards for secondary effluent. The Pollution Control Centre has been designed in
such a way that tertiary treatment can be installed when required.
The construction of a new state of the art composting facility is slated to begin construction in
the near future. It will be capable of composting all sludge produced by the J.W. Oliver Pollution
Control Centre. The City manages flow through a sanitary sewer system, which is a
conventional gravity system.
10.3.1 GOAL:
The City shall continue to provide wastewater management services and additional sewage
treatment when required by the Provincial Government.
10.3.1 POLICIES:
(i)
Require all developments to pay their share for the provision of sanitary sewer service
through development levies or local improvements; and
(ii)
Continue to extend sanitary sewer services to developing areas of Prince Albert in an
orderly, logical, efficient, and cost-effective manner and that is consistent with the Plan.
10.4
STORM WATER MANAGEMENT
Storm Water Management involves managing the quantity and quality of storm water runoff.
The quantity and quality of runoff in an urban area is affected by many factors such as the
amount of impervious surfaces (buildings, roads, etc.), erosion, vegetation, etc. It is important to
manage storm water runoff because pollutants in the runoff can adversely affect public health
and the environment (water quality). Storm water management is also important for controlling
flooding.
The Storm Sewer inventory in Prince Albert consists of 103.3 km of storm sewers, 1,226 storm
sewer manholes, 1,950 catch basins and 409-combined manholes/catch basins. The Storm
Channel is the largest storm-related infrastructure in the city. The land drainage system in the
city flows northward into the North Saskatchewan River.
The trend in storm water management is to incorporate on–site detention to minimize the
construction of large downstream trunks. A system of storm water management ponds is
proposed in the West Hill Master Plan to take advantage of the natural topography and to
remain within the capacity of the downstream receiving trunk.
10.4.1 GOAL:
Manage storm water runoff to protect public health and environment.
10.4.1.1
(i)
POLICIES:
Pursue innovative designs and best practices for storm water management and
ensure their reasonable incorporation into site plan design. Some examples include:
a. bio swales;
b. slope stabilization and erosion control;
c. constructed wetlands; and
d. detention/retention ponds.
(ii)
(iii)
(i)
(iv)
Require all developments to pay their share for the provision of storm water services
through off–site levies or local improvements;
Minimize impervious surface on major developments through the incorporation of
landscaping and the provision of pervious surfaces to minimize runoff and allow for
water infiltration into the ground;
and
Encourage businesses and industries to establish Best Management Practices to
provide control measures for spill control and minimize pollutant discharge.