Saint John’s drinking water is often a bone of contention for residents. Many say they don’t like the taste and some won’t drink it, but that should change dramatically by the end of 2018.
That’s when the city’s new safe, clean drinking water project should be complete.
The public private partnership deal with the Port City Water Partners consortium was signed this week and proclaimed Monday night. The final bill comes in at $216.8 million — well below the original estimate of $257 million.
Officials gave more details on Tuesday, including how the reduced price may mean less of a hit on ratepayers when the project is complete.
“In 2013, we estimated rates to be as high as $1,550,” said Kevin Fudge, the city’s Commissioner of Finance.
“We think the rates are going to be in the range somewhere between $1,400 and $1,450.”
The average water bill this year in Saint John is $1,224.
City officials say the first major work on this project that the public will be able to see will take place later this year on Hickey Road in east Saint John.
In all, 20 kilometres of new piping will be laid and some very old water pipes will be laid to rest.
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“Our two favourite pipes, the cast iron pipes from I believe they’re 1854, 1874 something like that approximately,” said Dean Price the city’s project manager for the drinking water initiative. “The two oldest cast iron pipes will be decommissioned”.
The project should also be a boon to the work force. The hiring process is already underway for up to 250 on and off-site positions, according the Design and Build Director.
“The local contribution to this project will be something that we draw upon significantly throughout the whole term of the project,” said Andrew Evenden of Port City Water Partners. “That includes not only the design and construction phases of the project but also the thirty year operating period as well.”
Mayor Mel Norton says the key point for him is seeing better quality water for Saint Johners, especially those who might be struggling.
“They can’t wash their clothes, they can’t properly make formula, they have to spend money to buy bottled water because the quality is so poor,” said Norton. “Those fundamental basics are things we need to change and we are going to change it with this project.”
The final details of the project are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
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