The sewer line improvement project that has shut down a portion of the main thoroughfare of Government Road is still scheduled for completion in October, despite the need for additional work in the wake of damage caused to a deteriorating water main.
The District of Squamish's trunk sewer line reconstruction on Government Road has caused several breaks and leaks in the deteriorating water main running parallel to the sewer line.
According to engineering manager Brian Barnett, the damage was the result of poor bedding and backfill, and the connections between the main water line and joining water lines leading to individual houses were not installed properly.
At an Aug. 31 council meeting, Barnett recommended reallocation of $200,000 budgeted for a Valleycliffe water main replacement to repair the Government Road water main.
He said the water main replacement wouldn't prolong construction.
"It [the water main] is a small pipe closer to the surface so it's a really minor installation compared to the sewer pipe, so we can get it done without delaying the project at all."
Acting Mayor Corinne Lonsdale called the decision to go ahead a "no-brainer."
"I would have been shocked if they [council members] hadn't approved the project," said Lonsdale, who was not at the meeting. "It just makes sense."
The money originally slotted to replace the old AC pipes in Valleycliffe was put on hold until the public works asset management plan, part of the 2010 Squamish Service Initiative, was completed.
"We wouldn't have done the Valleycliffe project [this year] regardless," said Lonsdale.
"As much as we had planned to do it at the very, very beginning of the year, the action management plan came to light and that's one of a number of capital projects that aren't happening this year for various reasons."
Barnett said reallocating the funds made sense because the contractor on the site is well qualified.
"By completing the work now, there will be cost savings due to equipment, material and workers in the area," stated Barnett in his staff report.
He also said it would save the district a considerable amount of money to replace it now because of tender costs, mobilization costs and other administration expenses.
"The new asphalt that is being laid as part of the sewer project will likely be ripped up prior to the end of its anticipated life if the water main is replace in the near future," he said. "Re-paving of half the road width will cost approximately $300,000."
Lonsdale said the decision to go for the savings was obvious.
"We're saving a lot because obviously the company that's in there today is going to doing it and obviously we don't have to dig it up again," she said.
"There's all kinds of cost savings by doing it at this point in time and it's causing a problem at this time too. The leakage is really bad in that area so it does nothing but make sense."
The construction should be over by the end of October.
The motion, put forward by Coun. Doug Race and seconded by Coun. Rob Kirkham, was carried unanimously. Lonsdale, Mayor Greg Gardner and Coun. Patricia Heintzman were absent.
