PRRD extends contract in hunt for new Rose Prairie water source

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Rose Prairie Water Station. — The Rose Prairie Water Station in 2021. The PRRD is looking for feedback on the next steps to take with regards to the facility. (File)

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The regional district is extending a contract to explore alternative water sources for the potable water station in Rose Prairie.

During the January 8th meeting of the Peace River Regional District (PRRD) board of directors, a contract extension for the Rose Prairie Water Station was approved.

In March 2021, the facility was recommended for closure by the PRRD due to the presence of explosive levels of gas detected in the air of the treatment storage tank and well casing.

At that time, then Electoral Area B director Karen Goodings said the people of Rose Prairie had been “waiting for some time for a reliable source of clean drinking water.”

The contract with Tetra Tech Canada was awarded in 2021 to oversee drilling and sampling of exploratory wells in Rose Prairie to locate an alternative water source.

The board also approved a drilling and testing program in May 2024, creating a contract with Carbon Mountain Drilling which was extended in September 2025.

As of June 2025, four wells have been drilled, three of which have been decommissioned, and the Tetra contract has gone over its value.

According to the staff report, the Tetra contract was intended to cover the estimated field days being used to oversee the drilling and sampling program.

“Delays were incurred due to weather and drilling delays requiring additional contract value to cover the remaining scope of work, including pump testing and reporting,” the report stated.

Following the board’s vote of approval, the contract increased in value by $30,000, bringing the total cost up from $252,552 to $282,553, and extended the conclusion date to June 20th, 2026.

In 2024, the PRRD made a funding commitment of $407,000 of Peace River Agreement funds towards upgrades to the Rose Prairie Water Station.

As of December 30t, 2025, the remaining balance of this funding is $123,642.29, meaning the regional district has room for adjustments without committing more money to the project.

Find out more about the Rose Priarie Water Station saga here.