Tag Archives: AECOM

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UPDATE ON WESTPORT WASTEWATER SYSTEM (LSSDS)

The Village continues to work through legal matters relating to tendering and construction of the LSSDS. 

You will recall that the Village contracted with AECOM (2015 to 2018) as our engineer to complete the Environmental Assessment, the design and to supervise the building of the new wastewater system. Part of AECOM’s responsibilities to the Village was to calculate the amount of sand required for the project.  At the outset, the AECOM engineer calculated that 77,000 tonnes of sand was required, however this amount of sand ended up being incorrect and the Village was required to purchase a significant amount more to finish the project.  

The RFP bidding process employed an “all in”, one price for the complete project.  It required, in part, that the contractor receive, move and place the sand that would be purchased and supplied by the Village to build up the LSSDS.  Selectra was one of 4 contractors who submitted bids and was eventually awarded the contract to build the LSSDS.  Selectra and its subcontractor maintain that they should be entitled to rely on AECOM’s weight calculation of 77,000 tonnes and charge more than their fixed, all in price.

As was previously reported, the final amount of sand needed for the project was 134,900 tonnes.  Despite two years of working through the outstanding legal issues, we find that we are still in complicated corporate lawsuits.  Selectra has a lawsuit against the Village and AECOM, the Village has a lawsuit against AECOM, while other players involved are suing each other.

We have hoped for constructive resolution discussions to bring the lawsuits to an end, however at this point we are preparing to go to trial in June.  Our lawyers and Staff have been spending many hours preparing our case and feel confident that the Village is the victim in this matter and will be successful.

I will keep you advised if there is a settlement prior to June or how things progress at trial, however our legal council has advised us not to make additional comments at this time.

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Construction Work for new wastewater system begins Monday

It seems like it has been a long time coming – for residents and business owners and Council.  The waiting is over and the building of the new wastewater plant begins on Monday, July 24.

The tender was awarded to Selectra Construction Ltd, who will be using Hadovic Construction as its sub-contractor.  The build is expected to take 120 days, which will bring us into mid-November.  You will begin to see their vehicles on County Road 10 next week as they build a new driveway/road into the site to facilitate the heavy traffic of trucks delivering sand for the new system.  Once the road is finished, the truck traffic into the site may be quite heavy at times as the amount of sand required for the system is significant.

AECOM Engineering has provided experienced oversight and on-site supervision of the build.  Gaetan Beauchesne P.Eng has 25 years experience in water and waste water engineering and he will be overall in charge.  Sara Mashaie P.Eng will be the on-site supervisor and has 8 years experience in water and waste water.

Paul Snider, CAO and Clerk is in charge for the Village and he is strongly supported by our engineer Max Christie, Manager of Infrastructure.

I have met with all of these individuals and shared with them our values and that the future growth of the Village rests with getting this right.

Council is supportive of this group of men and women and think they are a well qualified team to build the new wastewater system that allows the Village to grow.

And so, it begins!!!!

Call if you have any questions or concerns.  9195.

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UPDATE – FULL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT BRIEFING TO COUNCIL

On Friday, December 11, AECOM provided a thorough briefing on what reports, studies and information were used by the Technical Support Team and itself to make the recommendation to Council for the rehabilitation of the Village of Westport’s wastewater treatment system.  Councillors spent a couple of hours asking well thought out and probative questions of the AECOM representatives and by 4:30 p.m. were satisfied with the recommendation and passed a resolution supporting the continued use of the 2 existing lagoon cells and a new large subsurface disposal system.

All information and reports produced for the EA are on the Village website.  Please feel free to contact me if you have questions at 613-273-9195.

Thanks to the many members of the public who were present at this meeting.

Special recognition and appreciation to all members of the Technical Support Team for their hard work, including Village residents Dr Nancy Martin, Scott Bryce and Chair Glenn Allen.

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Full Environmental Assessment Briefing to Council

 

On Friday, December 11 @ 2:00 p.m., at a Special Committee of the Whole, Consultants from AECOM will be providing Council with a briefing on the Class C Environment Assessment in regard to the Waste Water Treatment Plant.  This briefing will include its recommendation on the alternate solution.

The meeting is open to the public, of course, and you are welcome to attend at the Council Chambers if you want to hear the “full story” of the work that AECOM and the Technical Support Committee have been doing this year and its recommended alternate solution for the Waste Water Treatment Plant.

I hope that you will join us.