The Alberta municipality of Jasper is seeking grant funding for nearly half of the $4.7 million cost to reline a lagoon, effectively reducing its environmental impact as an emergency wastewater storage facility.
Earlier in November, Jasper Council approved the submission of an application for the Alberta Water Wastewater Partnership (AMWWP) 2025, to remain in accordance with conditions set in May 2024 for a 10-year approval under the provincial Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.
“Relining the lagoon will allow wastewater to be brought back into the plant for treatment, eliminating untreated wastewater discharge into the environment,” Jasper officials stated in their application.
The decommissioned lagoon currently receives untreated wastewater in the event of extended power outages at the plant, which has occurred during wildfires, or when the plant is taken offline for maintenance. This has occurred three times in the last six years, according to a council document. An unlined lagoon means that wastewater can overflow or seep into the ground, potentially entering the nearby Athabasca River.
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The community says it also requires a groundwater monitoring plan, which includes the installation of a new groundwater monitoring well at a cost of about $50,000.
If the grant submission is successful, the community aims to start construction in 2026.
