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Epcor is publicly asking Edmonton for the fourth time to let it take over all drainage services, promising to protect customers and city employees in the process.

The company says it would mean a $20-million increase in annual dividends for the city as the company markets Edmonton flood prevention expertise worldwide. Council has previously rejected the requests. This new attempt was a surprise addition to a public council agenda released Thursday.

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This is politically charged, said Coun. Mike Nickel, furious councillors were caught off guard by the request.

Epcor is a company owned entirely by the City of Edmonton, which now has assets of $6 billion and provides private electricity and water services across North America.

It started in 1995 with ownership of Edmonton’s power generation and distribution. In 1996, it took over Edmonton’s drinking water treatment and distribution facilities, then took over waste water treatment at the Gold Bar plant in 2009.

Photo by Rick MacWilliam / Edmonton Journal

That last acquisition prompted a public protest by five civic unions, the Council of Canadians, the Parkland Institute and Sierra Club of Canada. That campaign, Keep Drainage Edmonton, argued giving drainage assets to Epcor makes the system less transparent.