County of Lethbridge

Although dust on gravel roads is a normal and expected part of rural living, we know that many residents wish to suppress it in the summer season due to the hot, dry and windy conditions. It is a process that includes the application of a product that suppresses dust on gravel roads that you may experience from traffic or in windy weather.  

Lethbridge County performs three types of dust suppression over the summer months: 

1. Residential dust control, where landowners, businesses and farms can apply for dust control on the road(s) adjacent to their property, for a fee. The County subsidizes the first 200 metres of dust control. Its typically done between May and June. 
2. General dust control, in which the County performs dust suppression on select high-volume intersections connecting to highways, as well as some targeted high-volume gravel road intersections. Typically done between May and June. 
3. Base Stabilization Maintenance, which is done on the County’s Haul Route roads, typically between June and October. 

The cost is $6.50 per linear metre up to a maximum length of 200 lineal metres, in 50 metre increments. Dust suppression segments above 200 lineal metres will be charged at full cost ($13.00/metre) to the applicant. 

You must purchase a minimum of 100 metres. A modified minimum purchase of 50 meters is available for landowners that do not have more than 50 meters in front of their property. 

Dust control fees are subject to change annually based on Council’s discretion with the County’s Schedule of Fees Bylaw.

Apply online 24/7. (Form coming soon.)

Those wishing to pay by cash or cheque can apply online and submit payment in-person at our Lethbridge office (905 4 Avenue S).

Dust control won’t be applied until payment is received.   

Pre-filled forms will no longer be mailed to previous recipients. By streamlining the workflow and eliminating the need for paper forms, we anticipate saving both time and money. 

The deadline to apply is April 1. We set a deadline so we organize our crews accordingly and maximize efficiency with route planning. We want to ensure a streamlined process to ensure we can start applying dust control as soon as possible for those who have ordered it on time. 

The product used for dust control is MG30, a blend of calcium chloride and magnesium hydroxide designed for roadways with little to no clay in the aggregate. It has many benefits, like dust abatement, base stabilizing properties and aggregate loss reduction, making it preferable for both our gravel and base stabilized roads.

Most apply for dust control every year as the product is only intended to last that long. Low-volume roads may notice that their dust control lasts longer than high-volume roads. 

The County does routine Base Stabilization Maintenance that suppresses dust but rotates our routes on a three year cycle. Those who saw crews on Haul Routes earlier in the summer last year may not see them until later in the summer due to this rotation, so consider this when deciding whether or not to apply for residential dust control. We notice that some of our residents choose to purchase dust control residential for the May application rather than wait until July or August when the haul roads are stabilized by the county. 

Check the route map on our website to see where your road is in our rotation. (Coming soon.)

The product will suppress the amount of dust generated on roads, it will not eliminate it.  

In the summer, you may notice dust during hot, dry periods. The dust control product is reactivated with water, so the County may use a water truck during these periods on roads experiencing issues, unless we are in a water conservation phase like we saw in 2024. You will notice that even in difficult weather conditions, roads with dust control have less dust than those without. 

No, dust control is an optional service we offer, and we cannot force a landowner or business to have it done. If you find dust from your neighbour is bothersome, we suggest you have a conversation with them. They may be unaware it is an issue. 

We ask that you do not water your road, as it can lead to significant and costly damage if too much water is applied. Excess water can wash away the MG-30 product and potentially create unsafe driving surfaces for other road users. It can also cause soft spots and frost boils, which must be repaired by the County, costing all ratepayers. 

The drivability and the safety of the road is our top priority. Dust control areas are graded when: 

• Excess moisture is present 
• In preparation for applying the dust suppression product 
• Once the summer season is over and poor road conditions require grading for maintain a safe driving surface 

In the spring, grader operators may blade up sections of road to prepare them for future dust control for the upcoming summer season. This saves our operators significant time, allowing roads to receive dust control much more quickly and efficiently. 

The dust control product is activated when exposed to water, enabling rough sections to be smoothed with grader maintenance and compacted. During the summer months, grader operators are instructed to use rainy days to touch up rough sections. This benefit of the dust control product we use is that it allows for treated road surfaces to be bladed without substantial product loss. 

The County may target specific intersections where dust control will be applied. This is to reduce the dust at higher traffic intersections, reduce wash boarding and reduce grader maintenance.  

Intersection treatment includes the application of stabilization products aimed at minimizing dust and washboarding on gravel roads where they meet hard surface roads, covering 100 meters. Additionally, selected intersections on Priority 1 and 2 gravel roads that do not intersect with hard surface roads may also undergo stabilization treatment depending on Annual Average Daily Traffic and surrounding land use. Each year, the determination of specific intersection treatments will be made on a case-by-case basis.