VICTORIA — The project team for a wastewater treatment plant on Vancouver Island is asking officials for $10 million beyond its original budget to help cope with rising costs on the island.
The project board noted the cost pressures were primarily due to escalation in material costs and the Vancouver Island construction market. According to the project board, the costs have steadily increased as each conveyance contract has been awarded.
The team is now asking the Capital Regional District (CRD) for $10 million in additional funding so it can wrap up work before the required deadline of December 2020.
The team also discovered parts of the project’s remaining components were unnecessary and could assist in keeping costs from rising to more than $30 million over budget.
An engineering firm found several components — upgrades to the Currie Pump Station, twinning of the Currie Forcemain and twinning of the East Coast Interceptor — were not necessary to meet government regulations and would provide no long-term benefit to the region. The firm suggested they be scrapped.
“With more data collected, we were able to refine the project scope to match future demand in the CRD,” said project board chair Don Fairbairn in a press release. “With a significant reduction in water use thanks to conservation efforts of residents and the increase in low-flow appliances, three of the remaining components will not provide any benefit and would result in unnecessary expenditures and construction impacts if built.”
Based on the firm’s and the boards forecasts, it believes it can complete the project on time for $775 million.
The facility will provide tertiary treatment for wastewater for Victoria, Esquimalt, Saanich, Oak Bay, View Royal, Langford and Colwood, and the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations.
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