As the Englishman River Water Service project reaches the midpoint of its construction phase, the ERWS finds itself searching for a new project manager.
Mike Squire, the former City of Parksville operations manager, began a new position as project engineer with the Regional District of Nanaimo starting Monday, Jan. 22, the city announced in a written release Thursday, Jan. 18. The $34.5 millon project is now the responsibility of the city’s engineering department, which will work closely with the AWS/ERWS management board to identify and appoint a new program manager, the city stated.
Currently, city engineer Vaughn Figueira is serving as interim project manager, representing the engineering department.
“We’re working with the RDN to identify another project manager for the ERWS/AWS,” Figueira said Monday.
As project engineer, Squire will be in charge of projects including, but not limited to, water and wastewater, said Randy Alexander, the RDN’s general manager for regional and community utilities.
Squire has worked for the City of Parksville for 14 years and was involved in the current water project from its inception, the city stated.
“We wish Mike Squire the very best in his new position with the Regional District of Nanaimo,” Parksville Mayor Marc Lefebvre said on behalf of city council. “I wish to sincerely thank Mike for his significant contribution to this project, so vital for Parksville’s future.
“Mike has been with the City of Parksville for fourteen years and for many years has successfully championed this project on behalf of the city.”
Currently, the city said, the Englishman River Water Service project is about 50 per cent complete in the construction phase and is on time and within “identified budgets.”
The ERWS is a joint venture between the City of Parksville and the Regional District of Nanaimo formed in 2011 to secure bulk water supply from the Englishman River for the residents of Parksville and the Nanoose Bay Peninsula Water Service Area.
Construction of the ERWS project, which started in April 2017, includes:
• An in-river water supply intake designed and located to consider the needs of river users and protect aquatic habitat;
• A water treatment plant with a minimum of 16 million litres per day of membrane filtration capacity to comply with new water regulatory treatment standards, including UV light and chlorine disinfection; and
• Transmission supply mains to the Top Bridge and Springwood reservoirs and to the Nanoose Bay Peninsula Water Service Area.
Further project benefits cited by the city include flood protection, additional fire hydrants installed for urban interface fire protection, additional pipe capacity storage and a multi-purpose trail with access through Top Bridge Park.
To date, project contractors have completed the transmission main to Top Bridge Park, the Englishman River watermain crossing, the Shelly Creek watermain crossing, the Alberni Highway watermain crossing, the water intake and installation of foundations for the water treatment plant and pump station, the city release stated.
The total projected cost of $34.5 million includes more than $12 million provided by the province and federal governments through the New Building Canada Fund: Small Communities Fund and the Clean Water Wastewater Fund.
— NEWS staff /City of Parksville