The man in charge of Saint John’s “safe, clean drinking water” project says most of the work should be done by Christmas.
Project manager Dean Price recently told council the project is more than 80 per cent complete to date.
“It might take a little bit of time for the actual substantial completion because there’s a lot of paperwork that has to happen and the independent certifier has to inspect the work,” says Price.
Price says one of the next steps is to complete commissioning and testing of the new Loch Lomond Drinking Water Treatment Facility.
They’re increasing the water’s pH levels and adding orthophosphate prior to full treatment to “mitigate any possible impacts to customers” due to the water quality change.
“The colour will improve, the water will be much clearer, the taste will improve, the odour will be different,” says Price. “Some of the customers in some parts of old east Saint John, Forest Hill area, other pockets in the east side, they could see some minor pressure fluctuations.”
Price says the multimillion-dollar project is also on budget — so far.
“We’ve had a number of contaminated oil discoveries, so we’re working through to try to work that out,” he says. “To me, that’s the biggest risk on the budget side.”
(Photo from Common Council agenda)