Paradise’s Woodstock lift station down to one pump

By Mark Squibb/January 27, 2023

Only a few weeks after approving $299,345 to replace the mechanical piping, valves, and associated components in the Woodstock sewerage lift station, Paradise council has had to find more money for it again.

“After a recent mechanical issue at the Woodstock lift station, staff have determined that the pump requires a complete overhaul, as the components have reached the end of their useful life,” explained councillor Deborah Quilty. “Staff have been in communication with the pump supplier for options to address this issue.”

Quilty said staff obtained quotes from the pump supplier to either repair the existing pump or replace it.

Repairing the pump would cost $49,695, HST included, and take about six weeks, while replacing it altogether would cost $100,199 and take about 17 weeks.

Quilty noted repairing the pump would cost less time and money, but replacing the pump would extend the service life of the lift station.

Despite the long-term benefit, Quilty argued in favour of repairing, rather than replacing, the pump.

“The lift station is designed so that two pumps work in tandem,” said Quilty. “This reduces the overall time that each pump operates and subsequently reduces the wear on pump components. The station is currently operating on a single pump. A single pump has the capacity to do this, which increases the operating time and, thus, wear on the components. This is not optimal for the longevity of the pump. Also, failure of the current pump would require the deployment of pumper trucks and a temporary submersible pump to continue to operate the lift station. There are certainly advantages to purchasing a new pump, however, there is significant risk to operating on a single pump until the arrival of the new pump. As such, it is recommended to proceed with repairing the existing pump as it is the quickest way to get back to operating with two pumps.”

Quilty noted the Town had only allocated $42,000 for lift station repairs – excepting of course notorious Lift Station 10.

“This single purchase will use the total annual budget allocation,” said Quilty. “All other lift station repairs throughout the year will have to be paid for from other sources.”

Council actually voted on the matter via an e-mail poll on January 19-20, and ratified the decision during this week’s meeting.

The financial burden imposed by the recent malfunctions at the Woodstock lift station, though heavy, pale in comparison to the $1.5 million that council had to spend repairing and trucking sewage from Lift Station 10 following a major malfunction in 2019.

Work, meanwhile, started Thursday on replacing Lift Station No. 10. The new station to replace the troublesome one at the corner of St. Thomas Line and Topsail Road is designed to function for 50 years and allow for population growth. The first phase will include digging large holes for new underground tanks.

“This work involves busting of bedrock on site, which is expected to take four to five months to complete,” according to a release from Paradise communications manager Diane Keough. “The Town understands the impact this will cause to residents and extends apologies for the inconvenience. Other site work at this stage includes the removal of soil and trees on Town property. The new lift station and the construction plan are also designed to mitigate any impacts to the nearby stream.”

Keough said the work is scheduled for Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. “At times, there may be minor traffic interruptions as heavy equipment enters and leaves the site, but no major traffic delays are expected at this time,” she added. “Residents are asked to use caution in the area and follow all posted signage. In addition, for the safety of all residents, a fence will secure the site to prevent unauthorized access to the site.”