Pump station upgrade begins

Upgrades to the storm sewer pumping station at the Portage Avenue underpass finally have gotten underway—work that truly will complete the project, assisting with drainage at the site.
Makkinga Contracting and its subcontractors put in the casing and piping under the tracks earlier this week, Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown noted.

“So the project is underway,” he remarked, adding next they will be putting in a gravity pipe, manholes, and structural steel.
Brown said they will be changing over to submersible pumps on this job.
It also will consist of extending the wet well, installing new storm water pumps and piping, installing a working platform, installing a new storm water forecemain from the pump station, removing the old pumphouse, and installing fencing.
The project is expected to be completed by Sept. 9.
Starting Aug. 28, they also will be putting a concrete sealer on the existing retaining walls, which will close the underpass to traffic during the day.
More information on road closures will be available closer to then.
Meanwhile, another project Makkinga is starting is the replacement of watermain along King’s Highway, from just east of Daniel Avenue to Pit Road No. 1.
“We have to set up the temporary waterline before we replace the watermain,” explained Brown, noting it was getting underway earlier this week.
They are replacing 741 metres of six-inch watermain with 10-inch plastic PVC watermain.
Two other projects soon to get started include installing a new road bed and asphalt surface, as well as storm sewer ditching, on Eighth Street East between Victoria Avenue and Christie Avenue.
As well, nine fire hydrant sets at various locations throughout town will be replaced.