Paradise approves 29th change order for Lift Station 10
By Mark Squibb
Paradise council earlier this month approved the 29th change order for the Lift Station 10 construction project.
This time it’s the addition of four more gauges for the station’s piping system.
Deputy Mayor Kimberley Street said the extra equipment was recommended by the contractor.
“The current design is code compliant, but the contractor has expressed the opinion that the additional gauges offer operational and maintenance advantages,” said Street.
The cost for the additional work is $4,554, HST included. Council unanimously approved the change order.
Later in the meeting, council ratified the results of an e-mail poll of council held on July 13 for the purchase of additional materials for a forcemain air relief valve upgrade valued at $46,670, HST included.
The upgrade had been recommended in a 2022 analysis of the force main.
Street said council voted via email rather than wait until the public meeting so as to get the materials ordered quickly to match the construction schedule.
The new lift station will replace the previous Lift Station 10, which suffered a major malfunction in 2019.
Construction on the new lift station, began in January 2023.
Original pre-tender estimates for construction of the station came in at $12.6 million and a secondary estimate accounting for inflation came in at $16.9 million.
However, when the job was put on tender the actual bids came in much, much higher, with the lowest bid hovering around $23.6 million.
Council debated whether to continue with the construction of a new lift station or instead upgrade the old one, but ultimately decided to stick with the plan to build a new station, despite the enormous cost.
The Shoreline inquired about the current cost of the lift station, given the many change orders, but did not receive a reply by publication deadline.
While the provincial and federal governments have given roughly $5.8 million combined towards the project, the Town is on the hook for the lion’s share of the costs.