Collingwood is keeping its options open on the town’s water treatment plant expansion, and council has approved spending $300,000 on a consultant to explore those options.
At their council meeting on March 4, Collingwood councillors voted in favour of paying consultant AECOM up to $300,000 to conduct a water treatment plant interim capacity feasibility study, to be completed by Oct. 31. The study will hone in on options for adding capacity at the Raymond A. Barker water treatment plant as it stands, including costs and timelines.
The information from the consultant could be used in the future to decide what work to do on the plant to increase its capacity.
“All of this information will allow council to make an informed decision regarding to value of achieving additional capacity during construction and what work will provide the most beneficial outcomes for Collingwood,” said the town’s director of public works, engineering and environment, Peggy Slama.
On Jan. 25, the town announced low bidder Kenaidan had agreed to extend the deadline for their bid for the Collingwood water treatment plant expansion of $212 million for a third time to April 15 while Collingwood and New Tecumseth worked to find funding solutions for the project. As of now, the entire cost of the project is expected in the $270 million range, with an estimated date of completion of mid-2029.
During Monday’s meeting, Slama said that if Kenaidan’s bid is accepted in April, the expansion and updated capacity will be operational by mid-2029.
“If the tender is not awarded in April, the town will be going back to the engineering planning process to consider different options for a water treatment plant expansion for Collingwood’s needs,” said Slama.
Coun. Deb Doherty asked for clarity whether any other municipalities would be contributing funds to the study.
“At this time, Collingwood is moving ahead with this,” said Slama, also acknowledging that New Tecumseth might buy in to the study, and that talks were ongoing with that municipality.
“I believe, even though we are going this alone, it’s part of the process,” said Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer. “As things hopefully get firmed up, then maybe we can address some of those costs.”
The $300,000 would be funded from the water reserve and water development charge reserve as additional capacity is a development-charge-funded project.
The current Raymond A. Barker Water Treatment plant was constructed in 1998. The plant is currently operating at 80 per cent of its rated capacity of 31,140 cubic metres per day. The study will investigate different options to increase the water treatment plant rated capacity by potentially 6,000 cubic metres per day.
Following receipt of the final report from AECOM, staff will prepare a recommendation report for council’s consideration.
Once staff receive direction to proceed with any options, the next steps would include the completion of detailed design, submission for ministry of environment, climate and parks approval and construction.
“We have to continue to...assure our community that we will have water service throughout, no matter the outcome of the current exercises,” said Fryer.
Collingwood isn’t the only municipality exploring its options. On Feb. 27, Town of the Blue Mountain councillors voted in principle to pursue the construction of a new water treatment plant in Craigleith, with an accompanying water storage facility, and to run a public information centre on its options for increasing their water capacity.
On Monday, council voted unanimously in favour of proceeding with the feasibility study. Mayor Yvonne Hamlin was absent.
