Locations For Phase Five Of Watermain Replacement Receive Approval
The accolades of getting the City's budget done before the New Year, so as to take advantage of early tendering for an expected $9 million in cast iron water main replacement, may be short lived due to a glitch. A glitch the City is going to need iron out before they can receive senior level of govenrment funding to allow the record setting tender to be issued.
Following a lengthy in-camera discussion as part of Executive Committee meeting the green light was given to approve the areas where Phase Five of Cast Iron Water Main replacement will happen in the 2020 construction year.
In the open portion of the meeting, with the only media in attendence being MJ Independent, Councillor Brian Swanson asked about problems with the planned $9 million in funding for the project.
“Given the current restraints on funding can you explain please how that is going to work please?” Councillor Swanson asked.
In response city manager Jim Puffalt replied funding previously allocated to the City under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) was no longer a given because the province had changed the rules.
Funding under ICIP must now be applied for.
“Certainly the funding which had been allocated to us by the federal government under the transit we were told late in January that there was an application process so we are going to have to get information on that contrary to the information provided last year,” Puffalt said.
An earlier phase of cast iron watermain replacement - MJ Independent file photo
Council approved allowing Administration to apply for ICIP funding at their February 10th meeting.
The City is hoping to be approved to do $9 million in cast iron water main replacement in both 2020 and 2021 with the help of grant funding of $3,300,000 each year. Federal Funding is 40 percent or $ 3.6 million, Provincial Funding is 33.33 percent or $2,999,700 and Municipal Funding is 26.67 percent or $2,400,300 on an annual basis each of the two years.
Despite the lack of approved funding at this time, due to the new ICIP application process, Executive Committee approved the locations for Phase Five of cast iron water main replacements.
The locations chosen are as follows:
Watermain Replacement - $5.8 million scope
- Stadacona Street East from 6th Avenue NE to 10th Avenue NE – 790 meters
- Fairford Street East from Main Street to 2nd Avenue NE – 360 meters
- High Street West from Main Street to 3rd Avenue NW – 540 meters
- Third Avenue NW from Oxford Street West to MacDonald Street West – 670 meters
Watermain Replacement - $4.5 million grant funding scope
- Third Avenue NW from Caribou Street West to Oxford Street West – 220 meters
- Second Avenue NW from Oxford Street West to Hall Street West – 190 meters
- Caribou Street West from 4th Avenue NW to 9th Avenue NW – 920 meters
Service for SaskPower
- Fairford Street East from 3rd Avenue NE to 5th Avenue NE – 350 meters
Speaking after the Executive Committee meeting Puffalt said the move forcing the City to apply for the funding came as a surprise because the City was under the impression “the money was allotted last year to the City and no application was necessary but this they said in January you have to apply.”
He said the City was “way ahead of schedule for tendering' but needed to know if ICIP funding was available, and how much, before going to tender.
Puffalt said the City is hoping to sit down with the province and iron it all out.
“We hope its an interpretation thing and we can sit down and get approval faster.”
Executive Committee did not vote on any option if all or some of the pre-allocated funds are not available but can do so if necessary once the decision is made by ICIP about the funding.