By RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff Aug 24 2007 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
A long-anticipated upgrade to Greater Vernon’s water system is on the verge of getting a major infusion of cash. Federal and provincial officials will be here either Tuesday or Sept. 4 to announce funding for the proposed Duteau Creek treatment plant. “It will be a good news announcement. It’s been in the works for some time,” said Jerry Oglow, chairman of the North Okanagan Regional District. “It will allow us to proceed with this significant project for Greater Vernon.” The amount of the grant is not known, but the total price tag of the project is $24 million. “It would be difficult to go it alone without government assistance because of its magnitude,” said Oglow.
The treatment plant will benefit customers of the former Vernon Irrigation District by addressing turbidity, colour, giardia and cryptosporidium. GVSC staff have stated that the project, which is anticipated to be completed by March 2009, will greatly minimize the need for boil water advisories on Duteau Creek. On Thursday, the Greater Vernon Services Committee board continued with planning for the water treatment project. Directors agreed to award the contract for site grading to the low bidder providing the tender is within the projected $1 million budget. Bids officially closed at 3 p.m. Thursday and it was anticipated eight to 10 companies would seek the contract from NORD. “I do have some concern about overrun on this tender,” said Bill Di Pasquale, GVSC’s project manager. The possibility of cost overruns is related to dirt excavation and removal. Just that task alone could cover 30 to 40 per cent of the tender. “The big part of this project is disposal of 60,000 cubic metres of earth off the site,” said Di Pasquale. “If there is an overrun on the bid, we will have to address it.”
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