The Alberta government has issued an enforcement order to a company that manages the water treatment plant in Balzac after the facility's operating licence expired.
Dockman and Associates Ltd. owns and operates a water treatment and distribution system called the East Airdrie Waterworks System. It provides drinking water for people living in and around the Hamlet of Balzac.
The government says that the company’s licence to operate expired on June 1, 2012, and there have been no steps made toward acquiring another licence despite the government giving them a one-year extension to apply.
Officials say that the facility was also found to have repeated violations in inspections conducted in 2012 and 2013 but it is unclear what those violations were.
The province insists that the water is safe for consumption and says it will continue to monitor the situation.
The owners of the plant are ordered to:
- Provide the continued operation of the water plant to supply potable water to the residents in a safe manner, according to the operational and monitoring requirements described in the order.
- Submit a complete application to register to the Code of Practice for A Waterworks System Consisting Solely of a Water Distribution System by August 1 using water from the Rocky View Water Co-op.
The plant will continue operations for now and has until August 1 to apply for a new licence.
The province says it will not issue any further extensions and may seek legal action to force the owners to comply with the ordered upgrades to the plant.
