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Rural Water & Sewer Service

The Rural Water and Sewer Servicing (RWSS) project is underway! Once complete, the project will deliver piped water and sewer to homes in Anzac, Conklin, Gregoire Lake Estates and Janvier. Saprae Creek Estates will have a new sewer system.

Connections are now available in select hamlets. Find out how to connect your home today!

Apply now!

Find your community

Hire a certified contractor

Cost and eligibility

Benefits of connecting early

RMWB sewer truck

Say goodbye to water delivery and septic pick-ups!

Once connected to the municipal system, water delivery trucks and septic pick-ups will no longer be required at your property.

Flexible payment terms

Instead of paying one lump-sum payment to connect, we’re offering payment plans with 0% interest spread out over a period of 25 years through your bi-monthly utility bill.

utility bill sample
fort sale sign

Increase the value of your property

Connecting your home to piped water and sewer services increases the value of your property. Plus, connect within five years of connections being available at your property and we'll cover a significant portion of the cost!

One-on-one help available

Our team of connection specialists are here to guide you through the process.

pulse agent

The costs of not connecting

The cost for you to connect will significantly increase after the five-year window comes to an end. Connecting your home to the RWSS system will cost between $30,000 and $75,000 as opposed to the lower cost of $10,000 to $16,000 that is available now.

Additionally, the Municipality will not be subsidizing trucked water and sewer services for homes and no longer coordinating these services either. These services will become your responsibility as a homeowner and can cost hundreds of dollars monthly. 

Apply Now

 

Make the most of the upcoming construction season - apply today!

 

If connections are not available in your community yet, you can still get your application started, ask questions and plan ahead so you are ready to connect your home as soon as it’s possible to do so.

 Choose your contractor.
Choose a certified contractor from the Alberta Municipal Affairs Private Sewage System Installer Certification List. Ask the contractor for a quote to connect your home and discuss what this work will entail.

Find a list of local certified contractors below.

 Complete your application form.

Download the application package and submit the completed forms to rwss.applications@rmwb.ca. 

If you would prefer to allow your certified contractor to lead this process, you may write a letter/email to your contractor and state that you allow them to act on your behalf during the application process.

 Submit your application fee.

Submit payment for your $200 application fee. There are a few options for submitting payments:

  • Online at pay.rmwb.ca.
  • Dropping off a cheque at the contact office in your community.
  • Mailing a cheque to:
    • Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
    • 9909 Franklin Avenue
    • Fort McMurray, Alberta       
    • T9H 2K4
Connect with us!

Have questions? Connect with us through Pulse, and a connection specialist will follow up to answer your questions and assist with your application.

You can also download the Homeowner Connection Guide for more information!

Community Construction Progress

Connections are already available in some communities, while construction continues in others. Find your community below to see specific project information.

Anzac Water and Sewer Program

Construction continues on the main sewer lines. Find construction updates:

  • RWSS Anzac (May 26, 2022)

Several technical and environmental factors have impacted the original scheduled timeline. A new timeline is being determined and will be posted once established.

Cost to connect once available: $105 bi-monthly for 25 years or a lump sum payment of $16,000

Keep up with construction progress: subscribe for community updates and we'll notify you when connections are available in Anzac.

Conklin Water and Sewer Program

Construction of the required municipal infrastructure is 80% complete. Find construction updates:

  • The remaining 20% of construction work is comprised of water and sewer pipes, two small lift stations and the associated road rehabilitation on Christina Lake Drive and Father Mercredi Trail.
  • Work will start in early 2023 on the west end of Father Mercredi Trail and will progress in phases towards the east end past Jack Fish River up to the property line of the Christina Lake Lodge lot.
  • All phases are expected to be complete by November 2025.

Service connections are available in most areas.

Applications for the 2023 construction season are now open. Apply today!

Cost to connect: $105 bi-monthly for 25 years or a lump sum payment of $16,000

Deadline to connect: The deadline to connect under the subsidized RWSS program is Sept. 2025 for most areas in Conklin. The cost to connect will increase significantly after the funding period expires.

Gregoire Lake Estates Water and Sewer Program

Construction continues on the main sewer lines. Find construction updates:

  •  

Several technical and environmental factors have impacted the original scheduled timeline. A new timeline is being determined and will be posted once established.

Cost to connect once available: $105 bi-monthly for 25 years or a lump sum payment of $16,000

Keep up with construction progress: subscribe for community updates and we'll notify you when connections are available in Anzac.

Janvier Water and Sewer Program

Construction of all municipal infrastructure is complete and service connections are available.

Applications for the 2023 construction season are now open. Apply today!

Cost to connect: $105 bi-monthly for 25 years or a lump sum payment of $16,000

Deadline to connect: The deadline to connect under the subsidized RWSS program is Sept. 2025. The cost to connect will increase significantly after the funding period expires.

Saprae Creek Estates Sewer Program

Construction of all municipal infrastructure is complete and service connections are available.

Applications for the 2023 construction season are now open. Apply today!

Cost to connect: $65 bi-monthly for 25 years or a lump sum payment of $10,000

Deadline to connect: The deadline to connect under the subsidized RWSS program is Sept. 2025. The cost to connect will increase significantly after this five-year connection window expires.

Hiring a certified contractor

A certified contractor must be selected from the Alberta Municipal Affairs Private Sewage System Installer Certification List.

The following local contractors have been certified by Alberta Municipal Affairs as of Jan. 2023:

  • Best Choice Plumbing, Heating and Wastewater Solutions
  • Call First Plumbing and Heating
  • H Wilson Industries (2010) Ltd.
  • NC Transport & Equipment
  • Qualipu Enterprises 1661696 Alberta Ltd.
  • Yanagil Management Ltd.
  • Wellingdale Group Inc.

Please note, this list is for informational purposes only. The RMWB is not recommending or endorsing these businesses. Any contract you enter with a certified contractor is strictly at your own risk.

 A certified contractor must design the system according to site conditions and the service needs of your home.
 To make sure the work is completed properly, follow these steps:
 Get a quote.
 Quotes that don’t follow the design specifications or guidelines won’t be accepted and if this happens, you may choose to get another quote from the same contractor or a different contractor.
 Once the quote is accepted, enter a written contract.
 Your contract should include:
  • A detailed scope of work.
  • Project timeline.
  • Expected date of completion.
  • A two-year warranty on the completed work, the as-built information and maintenance manuals with supplier/manufacturer contact information.
 Confirm your contractor has the necessary insurance.

 

Your contractor may submit an application and quote on your behalf. In this case, please send a letter or email to your contractor indicating that you allow them to represent you throughout the application and installation process.

Contractor resources

  • RWSS Worksheet for Quotation Preparation
  • Service Connection Design Guidelines
  • Service Connection Design Guidelines - Addendum 1 [November 2, 2021]

Cost, eligibility and important information

Cost

Residential lot owners are charged a Service Connection Fee to cover a portion of the costs to connect to municipal infrastructure. The Municipality will pay for the remaining costs within the five-year funding period.

Saprae Creek
Estates

  • $200 application fee
  • $9,800 lump sum per residential lot or $65 bi-monthly for 25 years

Janvier, Conklin, Anzac and Gregoire Lake Estates

  • $200 application fee
  • $15,800 lump sum per residential lot or $105 bi-monthly for 25 years

Note: Homeowners are responsible for any additional costs beyond the program limits such as selecting an oversized tank, locating the tank to fit future construction and any upgrades to existing plumbing and electrical systems.

Payment

Service Connection Fees may be paid in one lump-sum payment at the time of installation or added to your bi-monthly utility bills and paid back over a period of 25 years. Payment can be made online.

Eligibility

The RWSS Residential Service Connection Plan applies to existing residential lots in Anzac, Conklin, Gregoire Lake Estates, Janvier and Saprae Creek Estates. It does not apply to commercial lots. 

The Municipality is following the direction from Council and the Rural Area Water and Wastewater Service Connection Bylaw. If you connect your home through the program, the Municipality will provide the following:

  • Service connection design and required permits.
  • Connection from municipal infrastructure at the property line to your home.
  • Supply and installation of sewage tank, water cistern and pump, as required.
  • Installation of electrical line from existing electric source to the pump
  • Restoration of private property impacted by construction activity
  • Additional funding, after your connection fee, to cover the costs of the above work.

Property owners are responsible for:

  • Upgrades to existing plumbing and electrical systems not included in the bylaw.
  • Installation of service connection on the private lot side. Design and installation of service connection must be signed-off by a certified party on the current Alberta Municipal Affairs, Private Sewage Systems Installer Certification List.
  • Any additional costs beyond the program limits such as selecting an oversized tank, locating the tank to fit future construction.

If you are interested in connecting and learning more, please review the Homeowner Connection Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

General
Can I still use my existing system? Is hooking up to the new system mandatory?
Yes, you can continue using your existing system - connecting to the new system is not mandatory (but is highly recommended).Keep in mind, after the five-year connection window ends, you will be responsible for trucked water delivery and wastewater collection to your home. And, if you do decide to connect to your community's RWSS system, you will be responsible for the full cost.
Can I sell my house without connecting to the RWSS system?

There are no restrictions to selling your house if you have chosen not to connect to the system. 

However, if you or a future buyer decide to tie into the system within the five-year period, the connection cost will be significantly lower than the cost once the connection window expires.
I plan to construct a building on my lot in the future - can I locate my tank to suit this future need?
Homeowners are responsible for any additional costs beyond the program limits such as selecting an oversized tank, locating the tank to fit future construction and any upgrades to existing plumbing and electrical systems.

Remediation

Will the Municipality take responsibility for remediation after the work is done? For example, decks, patios, and landscaping?

The contractor must price the work to restore the site to the same or better condition than found and include it in the quote.

Please note, upgrades to any part of the lot or building is your responsibility and should not be included in the quote.

Utility Billing
Once I connect, what will my utility bills look like?

You will receive a utility bill every two months. Your bill will always contain the following charges:

Rural Water Sewer Connection fee:  Depending on how you chose to finance your connection, this rate could vary. For homes in Saprae Creek Estates, the fee will be $65. For homes in Anzac, Conklin, Gregoire Lake Estates and Janvier, the fee will be $105.

Fixed Water fee: $48.94

Water Consumption fee: a variable rate of $0.97/m3, and is based on how much water you consume and is measured from your water meter.

Fixed Sewer fee: $25.10

Sewer Consumption fee: a variable rate of $0.57/m3, and is calculated using the same amount of water you consumed, but at a lower rate.

How are these charges calculated?

Effective April 1, these are the 2023 rates from the Council approved Fees, Rates and Charges Bylaw (No. 22/012). This bylaw is updated annually, typically in the first quarter. It’s customary to see increases to utility rates as part of the bylaw updates. The rates in the approved, current bylaw are what will be reflected on your utility bill.

Why does the sewage metered rate match the water metered rate on my bill, if a significant amount of the water I’m using is for landscaping or outdoor use?

The variable sewer charge on your bi-monthly bill is based on the amount of metered water that you use, but it is a discounted rate. There is no way to meter the amount of sewer used, and this practice is in line with other municipal utility rates.

How do my rural utility charges compare to Fort McMurray utility charges?

Water and sewer rates in the rural communities are lower than in Fort McMurray. 

Water: fixed + variable fee

  • Urban - residential: $40.95 + $0.97/m3
  • Rural - residential: $24.47 + $0.97/m3

Sewer: fixed + variable fee

  • Urban - residential: $19.99 + 0.57/m3
  • Rural - residential: $12.55 + 0.57/m3

*The variable fees above reflect a standard meter size of 16mm & 19mm.*

Other meter sizes are reflected in the Fees, Rates and Charges Bylaw

Sewer systems

What are the benefits of the low-pressure sewer system that the Municipality is proposing versus the septic field system that homeowners are currently maintaining?

A benefit to the low-pressure sewer system is that ground water pollution is avoided by the sewage travelling through the municipal collection system and getting treated at the wastewater treatment plant.

Additionally, the land currently dedicated for septic fields is freed up and can be re-purposed for other uses. The system is also useful where septic fields cannot be developed due to high underground water or proximity to water bodies or where the cost to replace older septic systems is excessive.

What type of septic tank is required? Do I need to replace my existing tank? 

The proposed tank require two chambers; the first is the sludge chamber and the second is the pump chamber for liquid effluent. The pump chamber should be sized for an additional 24-hour storage utilizing the free space available within the sludge and pump chambers in the event of power outage or pump failure.

Your contractor will determine if your existing tank can be used or otherwise.

If your tank does need to be replaced, the RWSS program will cover the cost to fill your old tank with approved materials such as sand.

What’s the difference between grinder pumps and septic tank effluent pumps?

A grinder pump chops up solids and pumps them into the sewer main. A septic tank effluent pump (STEP) only pumps the liquid part of the effluent into the sewer main.

Grinder pumps can range from $2,000 to $3,500 to replace. For average-size households and similar capacity of pumps, the replacement and maintenance cost of the STEP is less than the Grinder pump.

Where will the pump control panels be located? Where will the power come from?

Control panels for the pumps and level controls can be located inside or outside the home. Power will be supplied from the homeowner’s electrical panel.

Please note, upgrades to existing plumbing and electrical system are not included in the service connection scope and must be covered by the homeowner.

With low pressure sewers, how is the solid waste handled? Will there be a scheduled pump out to deal with solids?   

Solid waste will remain in the first chamber of the septic tank and will need to be sucked out periodically. It will be homeowner’s responsibility to arrange for pump out. Depending upon the specific size of the tank and water use, the average pump out will be required every three years.

If I have a low-pressure sewer system, how will I be protected from sewer back-up?

The proposed system will have two check valves in the pump chamber to prevent backflow into the tank, and a high-level alarm in the tank to warn of potential problems.

It is recommended that all residents with a basement or crawl space have a backwater valve installed between the home and the tank to prevent sewage backups into the home.

Will new permits for septic fields and/or septic tanks be issued if I don’t want to connect to the new system?

 After the five-year connection window ends, new permits for septic fields and/or septic tanks will not be issued. 
Maintenance

What if any of the service pipes break? 

The Municipality will repair the RWSS system up to the property line.

As the homeowner, you will be responsible for repairs of the system on your private lot. This is the standard practice within the region and in other municipalities where similar systems exist. 

 *All rates are 2023 rates from the Council approved Fees, Rates and Charges Bylaw, which come into effect April 1. Rates are subject to change as this bylaw is typically updated annually.

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Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
9909 Franklin Avenue
Fort McMurray Alberta T9H 2K4

Phone: 780-743-7000
Toll free: 1-800-973-9663

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