Engineers can finally get to work drawing up plans to connect West Bench residents to Penticton’s municipal water supply.
The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen last week awarded Focus Corporation a $96,000 contract to design a new pumphouse and water main that will pipe water up to the West Bench. Focus Corporation will receive an additional $80,000 to help oversee the tender, construction and post-construction process.
The construction contracts are expected to go out to tender in the fall.
Directors also awarded Grizzly Excavating a $758,000 contract to upgrade some water mains on the West Bench that will help bring the distribution system up to snuff.
Both contracts exclude GST, and both companies were the lowest bidders.
West Bench residents in June voted 84 per cent in favour of spending $9.8 million to connect to the Penticton municipal water supply. Grants should cover $5.7 million of the cost, while the RDOS will borrow the rest. Residents will then pay 22 cents per cubic metre for water.