The Town of Edson is well known for being leaders in waste management practices. From our curbside waste/organics program, to our excellent recycling program, Edson remains committed to the environment through good waste management practices and facilities.
In 2018, Edson started a curbside cart collection program. Under the program, organic materials such as food and yard waste are collected separately from other residential waste materials in green curbside bins provided by GFL Environmental Inc. This material is then hauled to the CLEANIT GREENIT COMPOSTING SYSTEM INC’s facility in Edmonton.
This has helped increase Edson's waste diversion rates, keeping organics out of the landfill. This will help in extending the life of the landfill, as well as reducing the Town's environmental impact.
Program Review - Year 1
2019 was a benchmark year for waste diversion as town residents continued to commit efforts to recycle materials and separating yard and kitchen organics for composting.
While we do draw water from the aquifer, the environmental benefits to a well system are the reduction in chemicals for treatment and a reduction in power consumption compared to traditional treatment facilities.
The Town of Edson is committed to providing the best quality water possible, and to maintaining a steady supply for our residential, business, and emergency needs.
Currently the Town of Edson is on a well system with a steady supply of potable water. With that said, water conservation is key when it comes to long term supply and water management.
To help achieve this goal the Town of Edson is:
Compiling and reviewing annual data on domestic, commercial and industrial water use.
Developing a Water Management Plan, including provisions for drought conditions and fire protection.
Continuing the development and expansion of the Town's well system to increase the water capacity.
Using non-potable water (where possible and practical) for items like street sweeping/cleaning, watering plants, etc.
Maintaining an odd/even address watering system for the community.
What you can do to help:
Utilize toilet tank leak test kits
Monitor and reduce kitchen and bathroom water use
Use shower head flow reducers
Maintain a low water lawn - Most lawns only require about 1 inch of water per week - Peak time for watering lawns in early in the morning to reduce evaporation -Over-watering is not conducive to a good root system
Odd/Even Watering System
To help maintain levels in our reservoirs, we ask all residents to maintain an odd/even lawn watering scheduled through the summer months.
Last number of the building address - 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 - please water on odd numbered days.
Last number of the building address - 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 - please water on even numbered days.
Hand watering landscaping and watering gardens with a hose is allowed any time.
Wastewater Treatment Plant
Edson's new Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) came online in 2019. This facility was required following some testing and regulatory changes. For background information and more details on the plant, please visit our Water and Sewer Section.
The new WWTP includes:
Pumping capacity for up to 32 million liters of wastewater per day
Primary screens and wash press to remove rags, large rocks, and other plastic debris from the waste stream
Grit removal system
Two combined treatment units, allowing one to be taken out of service for cleaning
Some key environmental benefits of the new WWTP:
Ammonia was reduced from levels as high as 35 mg/L in 2009/2010 study to continuously below 5 mg/L under the new operating approval.
Effluent pH on average has been reduced.
Town of Edson has been passing the LC50 testing, which is a direct measure of impact to aquatic life. This was not always the case under the previous system.
Northwest Electric Vehicle Charging Network Proposal
The Town of Edson is hoping to spearhead a network of electric vehicle charging stations that would connect electric vehicles users to our region and beyond. Council has been presented with information regarding a proposed Northwest Electric Vehicle Charging Network and general support has been given to start moving forward with the project.
At this stage, Council is submitting letters to gauge support and seek seed funding for the project from other municipalities in the area. Below is a map of current and proposed sites.
It’s hoped that a regional approach, as has been proved successful in other areas, will help ease the burden on individual communities, help build strong relationships, increase regional tourism, and create new economic opportunities.
As part of the Town of Edson's commitment to good environmental stewardship, new policies and procedures are being developed to keep the environment top of mind for Town projects.
We are currently undergoing an enhancement of the Town's purchasing and procurement policy, including the development and provision of a purchasing guide to assess more sustainable and environmentally friendly products.
Continuing effort to review our own practices, as well as practices of other communities to find the most efficient and environmentally friendly and sustainable ways to conduct business.
Looking into development of an online product/environmental sustainability assessment tool for town staff, businesses and the public.
The Town of Edson is currently developing a new fleet management model. This means moving to a risk and condition-based assessment replacement program for all fleet units versus traditional tangible capital asset process. In other words, rather than just replacing units at specified times, vehicles and equipment will be evaluated on an ongoing basis and replaced at the true end of life.
Along with extending the life of equipment, purchasing considerations will include consideration for eco-friendly models and options to reduce carbon foot-printing.