Dust Abatement Program (Calcium)

Dust Abatement Program

The County's Dust Abatement Program assists in the control of dust including reducing road maintenance. The product that the County presently uses is calcium chloride, a product that is readily available and quite economical to use. The County will continue to use calcium while investigating and evaluating alternative products. Key items of consideration are the cost of application and longevity of applied product. The County treats approximately 180 km of road each year and the process is subject to weather.

The County’s Dust Abatement Program is covered by two policies, Dust Abatement Program - Residential and Dust Abatement Program - Non-Residential. 


The residential policy enables ratepayers to apply for Dust Abatement and will be applied at a minimum distance of 100 meters and up to 300 meters per residence at the subsidized rate (please refer to the Schedule of Fees Bylaw for more information). Late applicants and for lengths greater than 300 meters, the Residential Applicant must pay full rate. Click here to find out how to pay for your dust abatement application.


The Dust Abatement Program - Non-Residential Policy covers Dust Abatement products that the County and/or industry covers at full cost of Dust Abatement application. Categories include;

  • 800 meters applied entering Hamlets and urban centers (as identified in the land use bylaw).
  • Adjacent to parks, halls, campgrounds, cemeteries, historical sites for the length of the site.
  • Gravel roads that run parallel to paved roads where dust may impede sight lines/safety of motorists on paved roads. 
  • 100 meters on roads adjacent to residences, commercial and industrial buildings or sites (50 meters each way from primary driveway) on County Aggregate Haul Routes. County Aggregate Haul Routes are identified annually and approved by Council.

Stakes will be placed marking the area for Dust Abatement product application, as submitted on your application, up to one (1) week prior to work commencement using GPS systems. If you notice an error please contact Municipal Services at 403-794-2311, so that the staked area can be verified to the original application and corrected where necessary.  We ask that the public also contact the department if they notice stakes have been removed or damaged so that corrective actions can take place. 

 

Dust Abatement Program - Residential Policy

Annually the County offers this program, on a cost-shared basis, to control dust generated on rural gravel roadways at residential locations. This program is completed with County forces including two (2) graders, two (2) water trucks, and necessary equipment to pack the finished surface, including staff and one (1) contract truck and operator to spread the dust abatement product. 
 
 

Dust Abatement Program - Non-Residential

Annually the County offers this program, on a full cost basis, to control dust generated on rural gravel roadways where non-residential road users are the primary in dust generation. This program is in effect where the County does not cost share. This program is completed with same forces of labour and equipment as the Residential Dust Abatement Program described above.

Dust Abatement Program - Non-Residential Policy


Frequently Asked Questions

The rates are set as per the County of Newell Schedule of Fees Bylaw which is approved by County Council. Price increase is primarily due to product cost increase, labour cost increase, and other factors such as fuel cost.

Rain will delay the application process; based on accumulation received and the roads drying, the application may resume. Freshly applied dust abatement product will be monitored. Rain on recent applications will delay the "set up” and the surface may become slippery, rutted and rough.

The target start date is the middle of June; however, weather plays a major role in the application of dust abatement products. The County runs two (2) crews so that application can be completed in a shorter time frame.

The County has found more success when waiting for the rain season to be done, prior to application. The County also needs grader operators to prepare the road surfaces, the soft spots to firm up, and the Administration to process the applications.

If the dust abatement product becomes rough, please contact the County office and staff will do their best to resolve the situation, timely.

If surfaces becomes rough and road hazards are present to motorists, the County will grade it. The County’s practice will be waiting for a rain event or to use a water truck to reactivate the dust abatement, then blade it smooth. This will typically put it back to the original state as to when it was first applied. Please refer to the disclosure notice on the application form or refer to our Dust Abatement Policies (links above).