Almost a year to the day that Cache Creek’s new $2.5 million water treatment upgrade should have been fired up and operating, repairs are finally getting underway to fix two pipes that fractured as the plant was being commissioned a year ago.
No one is admittingthey made a mistake, said Cache Creek Mayor John Ranta.
“We don’t think it was our fault,” he said. “The construction company didn’t think it was their fault. The construction company (Wildstone Construction and Engineering Ltd.) didn’t think it was their fault.” And neither did the engineers, Stantech Inc.
Ranta said the Village has met with Stantech and Wildstone over the past year and finally “worked out a solution to replace the pipes, at significant cost to the Village.”
Ranta wouldn’t quote a figure, citing a non-disclosure agreement among the three parties.
Nor will the Village receive compensation from anyone for a new water treatment plant upgrade that has been sitting idle for the past year awaiting repairs.
The system was ordered by Interior Health in 2005 to filter and treat the town’s drinking water.
The contractor was on site two weeks ago, but brought the wrong size of pipe required for the repairs.
Last February, Ranta stated: “We don’t see it as being a significant challenge to replace the pipes if that’s all that’s required,” he said.
Work on the plant was actually finished in the Summer of 2011, but an undersized pump went unnoticed until the Fall and prevented startup of the plant.
The current repairs are expected to be finished by mid-February, and the plant will be commissioned once more after those are completed.
Council is hoping that the plant will be functioning soon after that.