INNISFAIL – The district’s water system is working well and is being monitored daily for any possible leaks or other infrastructure concerns, said John VanDoesburg, chief administrative officer of Mountain View Regional Water Services Commission (MVRWSC).
The commission owns and operates the Anthony Henday water treatment plant, located northwest of Innisfail.
It provides water – taken and processed from the Red Deer River – to about 30,000 residents in Innisfail, Bowden, Olds, Didsbury, Carstairs and Crossfield.
The commission processes about 1,200 to 1,500 cubic metres a day, he said.
“We monitor everyday and our system operates very well,” VanDoesburg told the Albertan.
“We always look at our infrastructure to make sure it operates properly. We are monitoring it all the time because we don’t want to be in a position the same way that the City of Calgary has been affected.”
His comments come as Calgary has been dealing with a massive water disruption caused by a broken six-foot water line. Hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses in the city have been impacted, with water use restrictions in place.
The commission has more than 200 kilometres of pipe, with the largest being 18 inches in diameter.
Monitoring the commission’s pipeline system is done through a number of processes, he said.
“All of the steel pipes have cathodic protection, which gives them an electrical charge which doesn’t allow them to rust. The system is pressure rated and monitored for leaks,” he said.
“If we have to service a pipe, we make sure we take a good look at what is happening to it.”
The City of Calgary has not asked the commission for any assistance during the crisis, he said.
Lance Colby is the MVRWSC chairman and Carstairs mayor.
“Our lines are pretty new and they are regularly inspected,” Colby told the Albertan.
“People can have confidence in the system and the commission.”
