The elevated water storage tank in Mitchell’s Bay is next in line for an overhaul.
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A $3.3-million tender has been awarded to Landmark Municipal Services of Burlington, to rehabilitate and improve the tank. Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission approved the tender during an online meeting last Thursday.
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As part of the PUC’s integrated approach to operations, maintenance and rehabilitation planning, the utility assessed the internal condition of Chatham-Kent’s 10 elevated water tanks, general manager Tim Sunderland told commissioners. Tanks were then prioritized for upgrade based on need.
It takes two years to rehabilitate a water tank, Sunderland said. The first year involves inspection and operational planning and the second year is construction, he added.
Sunderland said five of the 10 tanks have been rehabilitated, and Mitchell’s Bay’s is next on the list.
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According to a commission report, the existing tank, built in 1993, has been exposed to weather conditions over time, leading to deterioration of the inner and outer coatings.
“To extend the useful lifespan, this tank will have to undergo inspection and recoating of the interior and exterior surfaces,” the report said. “Also, to prevent water quality deterioration associated with water aging, an appropriate mixing system is required to be installed within the structure.”
The work, to begin in spring and be completed by fall, will be funded from a reserve, Sunderland said.
The PUC puts away $1.5 million a year in a reserve annually for tower rehabilitation, Sunderland told commissioners.
Funding for the Mitchell’s Bay tower will come from the PUC’s 2023 and 2024 lifecycle reserves for water tower rehabilitation, he added.
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