Truck fill construction and upgrades 

Sherwood Drive

The Sherwood Drive truck fill facility has effectively reached the end of its useful life and will be decommissioned once the Adrossan and Cochester projects are complete. 

Decision history

The Sherwood Drive truck fill is reaching the end of its operational lifespan. After investigation of the various options Council decided that renewing the Sherwood Drive truck fill station was not in the best interest of the majority of Bulk water users.

The general premise for Utility rates is that those who benefit from the infrastructure must bear the costs of that infrastructure. This means that Sherwood Drive truck fill renewal costs would be borne by bulk water users resulting in a large increase to bulk water rates at all of our bulk water facilities. 

Council has a responsibility to make decisions that are in the best interests of the community while considering cost, service, and long-term sustainability. 

At the September 10, 2024 Council meeting, Administration provided options to Council for their consideration with respect to a path forward for the Sherwood Drive facility. 

Options considered:

1a) Full renewal of Sherwood Drive truck fill

• estimated cost – $11.5 million 
• estimated bulk water rate increase – $1.80/m³

1b) Renewal of Sherwood Drive truck fill with modified infrastructure (no reservoir)

• estimated cost – $5.9 million
• estimated bulk water rate increase – $0.90/m³

2) Upgrade and expand the existing Ardrossan Truck Fill Station and decommission the Sherwood Drove facility.
This option includes early construction of a planned waterline required accommodate additional growth in Ardrossan, as well as improvements to the truck fill site.

• estimated cost - $10.5 million
• estimated bulk water rate increase - $.45/m³
• Unlike the other two options, costs for this option would be shared with urban rate payers and partially covered by developer levies due to the construction of the new water line to Ardrossan.

Additional) Constuct a residential water fill station in Colchester
The opportunity to add a residential fill station in the Colchester area was considered as separate, though related decision, as there are long-standing requests for a fill station in the area. The Colchester facility would be similar to the Half Moon Lake and South Cooking Lake water fill stations.

• estimated the cost - between $2 million to $3 million 
• estimated bulk water rate increase - between $0.40/m³ and $0.55/m³

Any rate increases will be phased in over a number of years. The rate will not increase by the full amount all at once. 

Decision

Council made the decision to proceed with Option 2 (expand Ardrossan and ultimately decommission Sherwood Drive) at the September 10 council meeting. The Colchester residential fill station was ultimately approved as a 2026 Project through the 2025 Budget process later in 2024.  

While no single option will satisfy everyone, upgrading the Ardrossan truck fill and constructing a new residential fill station in Colchester was determined by Council to represent the solution that best balanced cost and rate impact with level of service for users.

This option allows bulk water rates to remain reasonable (among the lowest in the region), makes efficient use of existing and upcoming infrastructure, and continues to provide reliable access to bulk water for residents and commercial haulers across Strathcona County. 

No action will be taken to decommission the Sherwood Drive truck fill until construction at Ardrossan and Colchester is complete. Decommissioning of Sherwood Drive is expected to take place in 2029.

Project timeline

Dates subject to change.

• 2024
  • Council authorized the expansion of Ardrossan truck fill and ultimate closure of Sherwood Drive, as well as the construction of a residential fill station in the Colchester area.
     
• 2025
  • Land acquisition for Ardrossan water main
     
• 2026
  • Land acquisition for Colchester residential fill station
     
• 2027
  • Construction begins on the water supply main to Ardrossan
  • Construction begins on Colchester residential fill station
     
• 2028
  • Construction begins at the Ardrossan (Four Ridges) truck fill
     
• 2029
  • Sherwood Drive truck fill decommissioned

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