The elevated water storage tank in Mitchell’s Bay is the next in line to get an overhaul.
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A $3,317,363.60 tender has been awarded to Landmark Municipal Services of Burlington, to carry rehabilitation and improvements to the water tank. The tender was approved by the Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission during an online meeting last Thursday.
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As part of the PUC’s integrated approach in operations, maintenance and rehabilitation planning, general manager Tim Sunderland told commissioners the utility has conducted an internal condition assessment of all 10 elevated water tanks in Chatham-Kent.
As a result of the assessment, the water tanks were prioritized for an upgrade based on the ones most in need of rehabilitation, he said.
It takes two years to rehabilitate a water tank, Sunderland said. The first year involves inspection and operational planning and the second year is the construction phase, he added.
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Sunderland said five out of the 10 water tanks have already been rehabilitated with the Mitchell’s Bay tank next on the list.
According to a report to the commission, the existing tank, constructed in 1993, has been exposed to weather conditions over time leading to deterioration of the inner and outer coatings.
“In order to extend the useful lifespan, this tank will have to undergo inspection and recoating of the interior and exterior surfaces,” the report stated. “Also, to prevent water quality deterioration associated with water aging, an appropriate mixing system is required to be installed within the structure.”
The work will begin in the spring and be completed by the fall, Sunderland said.
“The money’s funded through a reserve,” he said of covering the cost for the project.
Sunderland told commissioners the PUC currently puts away $1.5 million in a reserve annually for tower rehabilitation services.
He added funding for the Mitchell’s Bay tower will be coming out of the PUC’s 2023 and 2024 lifecycle reserves for water tower rehabilitation.
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