THUNDER BAY – Part of a planned sewer improvement project in Northwood might be put on hold after estimates for the work came in about $1 million over budget.
The city had budgeted about $1.6 million towards the three components of the upgrades but the lowest tender the city received during the contract phase came in significantly higher.
Kayla Dixon, city director of engineering and operations, said the planned work included repair of a collapsed storm sewer as well as twinning of existing storm mains on James Street in addition to providing a relief storm sewer in the Dalhousie Drive area.
“Some of the things we believe have brought the contract over budget include close proximity with a lot of utilities. We’ve had to provide for a new outfall because of the James Street bridge abutment. Some of that work certainly as we’ve moved through detailed design and gone to the contract phase has brought that budget higher than expected,” Dixon said.
“That work into the Dalhousie area involved some trenchless technology some directional drilling we had proposed. It looks like we’ll have to do a different technology just to make sure they can maintain the tight requirements on the gravity storm sewer there.”
The item was originally on the agenda for Monday night’s council meeting but it was pulled and rescheduled until May 8, where administration is recommending awarding the $1.7 million contract to proceed with repairing the collapsed storm sewer and twinning the James Street storm mains while pushing back the Dalhousie area work.
In addition, council will also be asked to approve transferring $1.1 million from the stabilization reserve fund to pay for a portion of the work while they wait to find out whether funding applications through the federal government’s Clean Water and Wastewater program have been successful.
Northwood Coun. Shelby Ch’ng said storm water management is a significant concern in her ward.
“This is something Northwood has been struggling with for a number of years now,” Ch’ng said. “It’s really important this work gets done and I’d say it’s the No. 1 priority for infrastructure in Northwood.”
Ch’ng said she is working with administration to determine a course of action that will result in the work proceeding this year, even if that means deferring the costs.
“It’s not that I want to go into a debenture for this, it’s that this work absolutely needs to be done,” Ch’ng said. “I don’t want to put my community at risk anymore.”
Dixon said administration is recommending reporting back on reinstating the Dalhousie area work after there is more clarity about funding and other contracts have been awarded.
“If any other contracts come in under budget we can look to move that money towards this project otherwise we will bring it into the 2018 budget,” Dixon said.
The Northwood sewer contract is one of five that were pulled from Monday’s agenda and rescheduled to May 8 while the city awaits answers on the funding applications.
