HINTON – The Town of Hinton is renewing its contract with Aquatera Utilities Inc. for water treatment plant operations following renegotiations that reduce the overall cost by $75,000 annually.
The Town briefly considered bringing its water treatment plant operations in-house, with administration stating it could achieve $100,000 in savings per year. In March, council directed administration to continue its negotiations with Aquatera and work toward a contract renewal.
“We’ve done so, and we think the negotiations have gone quite well,” acting CAO Trent McLaughlin told council on Tuesday (July 8).
“We have corrected some of the items in the previous contract that led to escalation of costs to the point where we thought we could do it in-house cheaper,” McLaughlin added. “But with the changes to the negotiated contract, we believe now that the right thing to do is to continue using Aquatera.”
Since 2018, Aquatera Utilities has managed the water treatment plant for the Town, providing two certified operators to perform all daily routine operations and maintenance. The service cost $481,489 last year.
As part of the new contract, the Town has renegotiated the overall cost and negotiated a cap on consumer price index increases.
The renewed contract will last for a three-year period, with the Town having the option to extend the contract for an additional two years.
McLaughlin noted that a Town employee would also continue to work occasionally at the plant to keep their certifications.
Aquatera CEO Vaughn Bend said in a statement that they were pleased to continue their partnership with the Town of Hinton, appreciated the continued trust and looked forward to building on this relationship.
“We are proud to support the Town in delivering safe, high-quality water services and remain committed to operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and responsive service,” Bend said. “This renewed agreement reflects our shared dedication to protecting public health and supporting the long-term sustainability of water infrastructure in the region.”
