The Town of Battleford is looking at plans to improve surface water drainage for its Industrial Park area. (Angela Brown/battlefords NOW Staff) : Angela Brown

By Angela Brown

Improving drainage

Battleford planning to improve drainage of Industrial Park area

Mar 5, 2019 | 5:00 PM

The Town of Battleford is waiting for more information on a proposed system to improve surface water storm drainage for its Industrial Park area, so hopefully it can get started this year.

The issue was discussed at Monday’s council meeting as council recently requested more details on the project proposed.

CAO Johns Enns-Wind said the town met with the project proponents but council needs more information on the project and a fee breakdown.

The estimated cost for Phase 1 including the design is $313,000 in 2019. A second phase would then likely start in 2020.

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Enns-Wind said in the report that the aim of the project is for an “improved storm water management system for the industrial area,” not to overbuild.

The challenge with the present drainage system is that water flows onto the streets until it reaches the corner of Fifth Ave. and 13 Street.

Enns-Wind and Public Works Manager Eric Bilanski stated in their written report, the problem arises as the town has been receiving heavier rains over the past few years and in shorter intervals, which has resulted in more erosion along the street and curb line along Fifth Avenue between 13 and 16 Streets.

As well, some businesses have experienced flooding due to storm water overflowing on the 400 block of 16 St. due to overflowing water in the curbs.

While the town has tried to improve the situation by creating small berms to reduce flooding, this can create issues for businesses and their customers.

Ultimately there have been problems where surface water runoff flows to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 13 St. into a ravine. Over time, erosion over the past two years has caused the supporting bank to collapse, and in turn has caused the ravine to swell and grow in size and begin to encroach closer to the corner.

The town needed to do something to improve the drainage in the area to protect local infrastructure as well, in particular a main sewer that runs along the length of Fifth Avenue to the lagoon from Battleford West, the Highway commercial area, West Park, and in the future likely the cannabis facility that is currently in development.

Enns-Wind said the town met with the engineers for the proposed drainage project.

“We really need to learn a little bit more,” he said during council.

Consulting engineers Catterall and Wright will provide the town with more details of the proposed project at a later date, said Shelley Boutin-Gervais, who chaired council’s meeting.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

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