Construction is expected to begin after the August long weekend to upgrade Merritt’s aging infrastructure, which will see the city spend $2 million in the process.

On July 22 at its regular meeting, city council unanimously approved awarding the tender for the 2014 Infrastructure Renewal Program to H&M Excavating Ltd.

The project will see parts of the city’s water and sewer systems replaced and the roads above them resurfaced.

Up first are Langstaff Place, a portion of Coldwater Avenue from Main Street, a portion of Douglas Street, and two blocks of Clapperton Avenue.

In a report to council, the public works department stated the purpose of the annual infrastructure renewal program is to “replace aging subsurface utilities on an ongoing basis so we are not victim to the national ‘infrastructure crisis,’” which involves old utility systems failing at the same time because they are the same age.

“Just like the tires on your car or anything else — you use it [for] so long it’s going to fail at some point,” City of Merritt public works manager Darrell Finnigan told the Herald.

The city received five bids for the infrastructure project and opted for the lowest one.

Finnigan said the bottom three bids were all fairly competitive. The lowest bid and third lowest ranged between just under $2 million and a little more than $2.4 million.

Finnigan said the first part of the infrastructure project is expected to be finished by November of this year.

Finnigan said the sections of roads being reconstructed are identified by the city’s water and waste water management master plans as priorities for upgrading in Merritt.

“Our council is dedicated to renewing the infrastructure,” Finnigan said.

Finnigan said the contractor for the project will be communicating with all homeowners affected by the project and giving them timelines for
when they will be in the neighbourhood.

Finnigan said most of Merritt’s sewer infrastructure was put in during the early 1960s and the water infrastructure dates back to at least the 1930s.