Vermilion, Alberta, is moving ahead with a major sewer upgrade after town council awarded a $1.6 million contract to replace a critical section of aging underground pipe. At a June 23, 2026 meeting, council gave the go-ahead to 640 Earthworks Ltd., an Elk Point-based company, to replace about 620 metres of sanitary sewer trunk line east of Highway 41.
The $1,619,121.69 contract, not including GST, follows a recommendation from engineering firm McElhanney Ltd. The old pipe had deteriorated and was running at full capacity, so the work is meant to make the system more reliable, cut future maintenance costs, and help the town welcome more residents.
“Replacement was needed due to the current line’s deteriorated state and maximum capacity,” town council heard earlier when discussing the project. The upgraded line will also clear the way for the North Brennan neighbourhood, where 65 acres are set aside for roughly 400 new homes. Then-Deputy Mayor Joshua Rayment noted back in February 2025 that with industrial areas filling up fast, there is growing pressure to open up residential land because “there’s just nowhere to build, move or live.”
The project was flagged as a priority in the town’s 2025 Capital Budget, and council previously passed a bylaw in 2024 to borrow $1.4 million for it. Construction details like start dates and any temporary service interruptions have not yet been shared by the town.
640 Earthworks specializes in municipal water and sewer work across Alberta. More information on the project is available in the town’s June 23, 2026 council highlights.
