Lift Station No. 10 work getting down to the short strokes

By Chad Feehan / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Work continues on the Town of Paradise’s ongoing infrastructure projects, including change orders for familiar locations including Lift Station No. 10 and underground force mains.
Above the ground, construction of Lift Station 10 requires the relocation of Bell Aliant poles around the intersection of Topsail Road and St. Thomas Line. The utility quoted the Town at $12,836 to relocate its infrastructure to the new pole locations. As council had previously approved $32,543 for relocation, there is sufficient money in the budget and no new money is required for the work.
Councillor Deborah Quilty, who updated council on the project, said construction of the new lift station continues to be a situation of managing change.

As per the contractor’s obligation to submit a contemplative change notice for any deviation from the project’s specifications, council reviewed and approved three additional changes to the force main feeding to the station.
The first of the three is modification of the specified access hatches that are to be supplied and installed. A credit of $13,685 has been offered to the Town as a result of that change.
The second change order regards the substitution of specific eye wash stations on the mezzanine of the new lift station. A credit of $223 has been offered for that.
The last change order regards reducing the capacity of the new automatic transfer switch from 65 kilo amps to 50 kilo amps, for which a credit of $20,700 has been offered.
“Acceptance of the contemplated change notice does not negatively impact the operation, functionality, the capacity, nor the quality of the workmanship on the project,” said Quilty.
Olympic Construction Limited is carrying out the work.
The St. Thomas line force main is also getting attention.

“RV Anderson and Associates completed an analysis of the St. Thomas Line force main under transient conditions, i.e. power failure, pump start sequence, time delay after pump start, and provided recommendations to mitigate transient pressure in the force main, the primary cause of the experienced force main failure,” Quilty said.
Based on this analysis, it was recommended to install air relief combination valves at the pump discharge header, and at two to four other points along the force main’s length.
“Installation would gain control of down surges, prevent formation of vapor cavities, upsurge pressures, and reduce the probability of force main failure due to transient loads,” Quilty said.
RV Anderson provided a quote of $29,555 to complete the required design document necessary to procure and install the three valves.
Some $240,000 was budgeted for the work this year.
“Implementation of this work will support the (Town’s) infrastructure and environmental stewardship strategic pillars, as they relate to sustaining and growing existing assets and will reduce the risk of force main breaks and uncontrolled release of sewage into the environment, which we don’t want to see,” Quilty said.