The RMWB is receiving funding for two water projects slated to happen in the rural areas south of town.

The provincial government is providing over $4 million through their new Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP) to help continue work connecting Anzac, Conklin, Gregoire Lake Estates, and Janvier to municipal water systems.

The rural water and sewer servicing project has been ongoing for the past several years and is the costliest project ever undertaken by the municipality.

MLA for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche Laila Goodridge tells Mix News these funds will help move the project along which, in turn, will help these communities become much safer.

“If we have another incident like we had in 2016, it will improve safety by allowing firetrucks and emergency response to use the water to fight the fires.”

The GoA is also providing a $12 million grant for an upgrade to the Conklin lagoon.

Homes in the rural areas currently have individual on-site sewage holding systems with crews transferring the sewage from each property to the lagoon.

The water is then treated at the lagoon before being recycled.

Goodridge says funding these two projects will help create 82 jobs in the RMWB.

“The economic crisis that we’re facing due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse in oil prices is felt especially hard up in northeastern Alberta in the Wood Buffalo region.”

These water projects are two of the 55 being funded across the province. The Conklin lagoon upgrade is the third costliest.