West Kelowna is following through with its vow to fast-track development of its new Rose Valley water treatment plant.
Council has authorized a $290,863 contract with Associated Engineering (BC) Ltd. for consulting services for the new plant, that will treat water from the Rose Valley reservoir.
The city was awarded a $41 million grant from the federal/provincial Clean Water and Wastewater Fund for the project earlier this year.
The city said the grant meant the plant could be built five years earlier than anticipated and will allow better quality water for entire northern half of the city for customers of four of its water systems.
The largest of those systems, Lakeview, was under a water quality advisory for four months last year because of turbidity in the reservoir.
The new $49 million dollar plant will provide multi-barrier treatment, including processes such as flocculation, sedimentation, filtration and chlorination and guarantee, clean, clear, safe drinking water for customers of the Lakeview, West Kelowna Estates, Pritchard and Sunnyside systems, says the city.
In April, shortly after it received the grant, the city issued a request for proposals seeking submissions from consulting firms with experience in project management services in water treatment facilities. Five proposals were received.
Associated Engineering ranked highest based on the criteria set by the city.
The next step will be to issue a request for proposals for the design of the plant, followed by construction, expected to start next spring.