Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission (PUC) officials say the carpenters union strike was resolved last week and the scaffolding installation recommenced last week for the Wallaceburg Elevated Water Tank Re-painting and Refurbishing project.
“The strike has not affected the project schedule at this time,” PUC officials said on social media.
“The new hydro-dynamic mixing system, which prevents water aging arrived on-site. The unit will be installed within the storage cell only after the coating has been completed.”
PUC officials added: “One section of the new outer painter’s rail system has been installed within the storage cell. Roof structural radial rooftop steel stiffeners (48 in total) are being installed, and out of these only five remain to be seal welded. The exterior drip ring has been installed (tack weld) on the storage cell exterior with only the seal weld remaining to be completed.”
Back in March, the PUC started the construction phase of the $3.7-million in rehabilitation and maintenance improvement project of the Joseph Shaw Wallaceburg Elevated Storage Tank, located at 6500 Otter Line, in Wallaceburg.
PUC officials say a number of improvements and miscellaneous upgrades to the tank, which was originally constructed in 1999. are required to increase the reliability of the tank and its functionality for the next 20 plus years
Wallaceburg Councillor Carmen McGregor, the PUC Chair, said she’s gratified to see the rehabilitation begin.
“Our goal has always been to provide a safe, reliable source of water for Wallaceburg, and this investment ensures that will continue,” Councillor McGregor said in a media release back in March.
“With a number of development projects in the works, Wallaceburg is going to experience growth in the next few years and the PUC is committed to making sure we’re doing everything to accommodate that growth.”
CK PUC owns and operates 10 elevated storage tanks in various systems in Chatham-Kent.
The elevated tanks are regularly inspected and each tank is evaluated and set on a rehabilitation priority.
Wallaceburg is the next tank on this rehabilitation list and construction has begun.
BGL Contracting was selected and awarded the rehabilitation project in January 2022.
The tower will be placed out of service in March 2022 and expected to be returned back into service in September 2022.
CK PUC General Manager Tim Sunderland said this is the fifth water tower to be rehabilitated since the first tower, which was the Chatham tower was rehabilitated in 2014.
Towers completed since 2104 have been Blenheim, Dresden and Pain Court.
