District of Squamish underestimated the cost to improve sanitary lift station and replace a manhole that was a ‘major concern’ before it became an emergency. The gap between what the District expected to pay and the lowest bid delayed the project, eventually forcing District to diverting 1,587 cubic metres of wastewater into the estuary.
The work on installing a functional bypass for the lift station and replacing the manhole was in fact meant to be completed last year. District first issued a RFP in March last year with completion of the project in June 2022. The ‘manhole MH4145 is a major concern,” a District official noted in the bid that District put out last year.
However, despite that concern, the project was delayed due to the $1 million gap between what District thought the project would cost and the lowest bid it received. While the District estimated the project would cost approximately $500,000, the lowest bid came at $1.15 million.
The gap meant District had to review and revise the budget, delaying the much-needed improvements until the manhole failed and forced District into full emergency response mode.
Rachel Boguski, a communications manager for the District, said the District has seen significant construction bid cost escalation over the past few years, partly due to the COVID pandemic and the unpredictable impact on supply chain and labour costs. The construction bids reflect the market conditions and not necessarily the historical cost to complete the work, she noted.
“The District project team forecasts, to the best of their ability. However, the District’s market information is largely comparable to the most recent tender in any particular type of work and contractors have the ability to bid based on market conditions. It is uncommon to receive bids that are more than double the estimate. There are several factors that may have contributed to the difference in cost: complexity of the project, dewatering challenges, rising market conditions, limited contractor availability in Squamish,” she said.
Corinne Lonsdale says
Interesting but not surprising. So how are they fixing this problem, what will it cost and is this a long term fix or another stop gap? Our sewage system has been needing attention for a number of years. Perhaps a better look should be taken at our wants vs. our needs in the community. We all want things but we don’t necessarily NEED them. Time for the District to run this municipality as they would their own household. Those running this community should not add costs we do not need and cannot afford. Unfortunately the District has not taken into consideration the real priorities and what taxpayers can afford. Now we end up with infrastructure in a mess….the Mamquam and Hwy99 intersection sewer pipe crossing is just another prime example. How much have we overspent on that already with no fix in place? Perhaps we should put a moratorium on any new construction until we KNOW what our systems can handle. Bear in mind that currently our developed residential single family and duplex zoned land likely has at least a third more people living on it then was ever anticipated. It is hard to find a developed lot without suites, rooms, carriage houses and sometimes even r.v.’s adding population to the single family they were designed to support. Further most are not registered and likely do not meet building code or fire requirements. We know that as there are few properties where 2 waste containers are put out for pick up. Registered suites etc. would have 2 at least. Again many households are not paying the utility costs they should be as a suite or carriage house will generate an additional utility bill. There are a number of other critical issues staff have not thought of or brought to Council’s attention. It is past time to get our house in order. This is not an attack on Council other that to say it has mostly relied on staff’s recommendations who they presumed to be the experts. Are they?
Nelson Winterburn says
With all the district staff we have, how has such a situation been allowed to happen??
Francine says
Agree with Corinne on most points about getting the house in order an attending to our deficencies before we go ahead with more stress on the decaying infrastructures. Many reports were given and paid for by the district and bypassed to end up costing more due to constant procrastinating.
Except for one point I disagree on in my opinion when most single family home had two or one good salary with two or three children or maybe even four in the past, the utilities had the same charge as now ….it take 2 or 3 income to make a single family home affordable so hence the sharing the cost of running a home. The stress on the utilities of those suite and or those rooms for the most part has probably the same head count. It’s just all those stacked condos and townhouses craming lots of people on a much smaller land. Allowing many variances and rezoning single lots into duplexes with suite and duplex becoming triplexes.
The single family lots are not our biggest issue they are still a dream for many.
The issue is that the system has been showing the stress its under and braking down in many areas and its costing us way more that way.