CLIFFORD – Minto council approved a bid for $86,000 to replace sand filters in the Clifford lagoon system on June 4.
The lagoon serves about 760 Clifford residents and is one of four wastewater treatment facilities in Minto.
According to the report, the lagoon has dropped off in performance in recent years, most notably the sand filters.
The filters remove contaminants in wastewater through physical, chemical and biological treatment processes.
Due to the limited capacity of the filters, the treatment process is getting backed up and damage to the irrigation infrastructure is occurring.
Original consulting engineer GEI Consultants determined the sand was at the end of its life in November.
Town staff recommended council approve the bid from Donegan’s Haulage Limited for $86,800, the lowest of two received by the town.
The other was from Arnill Construction Limited for $138,000.
To save money staff will source the sand filter in-house, using staff as labour and local contractors to excavate and replace the sand in the filter beds.
As a result of not knowing the full extent of the damages in time for the 2024 capital budget, a $50,000 placeholder was allotted for capital work.
Additional funding is required for irrigation equipment, excavating expenses, sub-surface drainage infrastructure and miscellaneous aggregates.
The project needs an extra $90,000 on top of the $50,000 placeholder, bringing the total to $140,000.
The funds will come from the wastewater capital reserve.
Council members voted unanimously to add the $90,000 and to award the project to Donegan’s Haulage Limited.
