January 18, 2012
Second waterloop for
west end?
by Vance Gutzman
Two roads diverged in a yellowed wood and the town is taking the one
less travelled by.
And though that may be the more expensive route, Deep River council is
hoping the potential for future development will make all the
difference.
Robert Frost aside, town council will be applying to the province for
funding to construct a watermain loop in the west end of town.
Council gave the green light to staff last week to proceed with a
funding application under the Ontario Small Water Assistance Program
(OSWAP) to cover two-thirds of the estimated $1,157,000 cost of
constructing the loop.
The loop would connect to the existing watermain at the intersection of
Double Dip Road and Chadwick Drive, continue along Double Dip Road to
McAnulty Road, and then to Highway 17.
The watermain loop is meant to help with maintaining chlorine
residuals, by increasing flow rates in a watermain that runs westerly
along Highway 17, terminating in a dead end just over one km away from
its connection point to the water distribution system at Thomas Street.
Regular flushing of that line from a hydrant at the termination point
is necessary in order to maintain free chlorine residuals mandated by
the Ministry of Environment.
The engineering firm Jp2g has been brought in to assess the situation
and came up with two options for the town.
The connection at Double Dip Road running the full length of McAnulty
Road was the second of the two options.
The first option the engineers gave to the town would see a watermain
loop tie in at the existing main on Avon Road, run along Grouse Park
and beside the Deep River Cemetery to McAnulty Road, and then to
Highway 17.
That option would cost an estimated $635,000, and while that's
significantly less than the second option, public works director Khizar
Hayat recommended that council go the more expensive route.
"The additional area covered in the second option is residential in
nature and would enhance the potential of future development growth at
the west end of town," Hayat stated in his report to council,
adding that the loop will be provided along a roadway, and within the
town's right-of-way, eliminating the need for property easements.
Mayor David Thompson said last week that higher costs of the second
option could be a case of short term pain for long term gain.
"Clearly this is a longer route and it will be significantly more
expensive," Thompson said.
"But it provides an opportunity for getting water to a part of town
that holds great potential for future growth."
The mayor was also quick to point out that just because the town is
applying for the OSWAP money, that doesn't tie the town's hands into
going with the more expensive option.
"At this point it's just a grant application," he said.
"If there's no grant, I don't see us moving forward."
Town staff will now sit down to complete the grant application - the
deadline for which is February 15.
The municipality was successful in securing an OSWAP grant in 2011,
covering two-thirds of the total cost of a similar watermain loop
running along Banting and McElligott Drives in the east end of the
municipality.
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