Public Works reports more sewer maintenance and work brought in-house

Iqaluit’s Public Works department reported progress on preventative maintenance at the October 6 committee meeting, including work previously contracted to outside providers.

Director Adrian Blanchard said crews had cleaned and blasted approximately 25.8 kilometres of sewer line and serviced 277 of the City’s 367 access vaults. The agenda presentation also records 277 vaults cleaned.

Contractor costs avoided are not net savings

Blanchard said access vault cleaning had previously cost approximately $1,800 per vault when contracted out. Bringing the 277 completed vaults in-house therefore represented just under $500,000 in contractor costs avoided, on his calculation.

That figure does not deduct the City’s staff, equipment, fuel and maintenance costs. Councillor Kyle Sheppard acknowledged the City still incurs costs to do the work and encouraged staff to bring forward further opportunities during budget planning.

Summer road grading questioned

Alternate Deputy Mayor Harry Flaherty praised winter snow clearing but questioned the summer grading response and suggested considering equipment and operator training in capital planning.

Blanchard replied that two graders had completed 400 hours of work this year. He said experienced operators were available and newer staff continued to receive training. Those are the department’s reported figures; the discussion did not approve a new grader purchase.

Trucked services and treatment

Staff reported delivery of more than 46 million litres of water from January to September 24, roughly 4,600 truckloads at 10,000 litres each. The written presentation also describes new side-reel trucks intended to improve hose handling, worker safety and winter operations.

The presentation says two backwash pumps have been replaced at the water treatment plant, the Lake Geraldine dam valve replacement is underway and wastewater treatment is passing required standards. These are staff’s operational reports, rather than an independent assessment of compliance.

Water delivered and maintenance completed do not establish how much additional housing the system can support. The capacity calculation and the effect of planned upgrades remain separate questions.