Burns Lake council continues to gather information to help them decide how to move forward with a $4.8 million project to extend water and sewer services to the Industrial Park.
True Consulting has recently submitted a proposal to council to conduct the preliminary design at a cost of $110,000. This would provide the village with a firmer cost estimate and a refined scope of the project, which has been under consideration since at least 2001.
But council has deferred making a decision on whether to proceed with the project’s preliminary design, said Sheryl Worthing, the village’s chief administrative officer, adding council directed staff to do further research on the project.
Located on the east edge of town, just south of Hwy. 16, the Industrial Park comprises sites along Roumieu Dr. including the Co-op Cardlock, Industrial Transformers and Andy’s Machining.
There are two options being considered for water main routes — through the Village Heights area, a 25-hectare property at the top of Third Avenue (estimated to cost about $2.7 million), or from the area of Telegraph Trail down Richmond Loop (about $2.8 million).
An engineer has recommended council choose the first option, through Village Heights, said Worthing.
“This would allow future development in both areas [Village Heights and Industrial Park] as well as reduced operational and maintenance costs associated with a booster station (which will be required if the second option is chosen),” states a village staff report.
Council is expected to choose a route after the completion of the preliminary design.
For either option, there is an additional cost of approximately $2 million for the installation of a sewer system within the Industrial Park and of a sewer line down Richmond Loop, according to the report.
When it comes to how the project will be paid, property owners in the area might be on the hook for it.
The provision of water and sewer to a specific area could be paid either in whole or in part by property owners in that area through a local service tax, states the report.
“There are no restrictions to the municipality recovering a portion of the cost through any source of municipal revenue; however, typically, the costs to construct water and sewer services to a local service area are paid for wholly by the property owners within that service area,” adds the report.
Worthing said no other funding options are being considered at this time.
Once the preliminary design is completed, the next step would be the final design and construction.
READ MORE: Council mulls industrial park water, sewer line bid