Three Hills Parks and Recreation employee CJ Collinson assists resident John Kamphuis to collect potable water after the town’s water system was shut down April 26 by a pump house equipment failure. ECA Review/ D.Nadeau
An April 26 water plant failure in Three Hills resulted in no water service for the Town of Three Hills, the Town of Trochu, an unknown number of rural customers, and a multi-day boil water advisory from Alberta Health Services.
The town is conducting an investigation into the cause of the equipment failure, and is waiting for an inspection from insurers and a structural engineering evaluation of the pump house building. The damage is described as major, the extent of which has yet to be determined.
AHS required the town to have two samples pass its testing parameters before the boil-water advisory was lifted.
Mayor Ray Wildeman said he has received nothing but positive comments from ratepayers who were grateful water service was restored “in an astonishingly prompt manner.”
Three Hills operates a water treatment plant at the Red Deer River and, the in-town facility that experienced the equipment failure.
Mayor Wildeman extended appreciation to town staff, provincial agencies, regional municipal partners, engineers and contractors who worked to ensure water was flowing within 14 hours of discovering the issue.
“Considering the scope of the infrastructure failure and temporary fix,” he said, “this is incredibly fast.”
David Nadeau
ECA Review
