Стоимость водопровода для Досон-Крик выросла до 272 млн долларов

Dawson Creek water pipeline could cost up to $272M to build, new estimates show Councillor acknowledges price may give residents 'sticker shock' Dawson Creek city staff say a water pipeline for the northeast B.C. community could now cost up to $272 million to build, nearly triple the previous estimate. Feasibility findings from a phase one study by the city were presented to council on Monday. Coun. Jerimy Earl said the price may come as shock for residents, who were initially told the project could cost around $100 million, but said he feels the city has successfully moved the issue forward. "I'm sure the sticker shock of some of the options in there will get a lot of headlines and result in a lot of conversation," he said. "There's going to be a lot of people who armchair quarterback the city's approach to dealing with this and insist that they knew better." "This document probably represents the most comprehensive cost benefit analysis of our various options up to this point." Devon Aaroe, the general manager of major infrastructure and development for the city, says the feasibility study was created to better understand potential options. "The city continues to rely on a single water source, while facing increasing drought pressures, climate change impacts, and the need to ensure future growth can be supported," he said. The city enacted water conservation measures throughout last fall and winter after years of record drought threatened its main water source, the Kiskatinaw River. According to the feasibility findings, the city has narrowed down choices to four options: continuing to draw water from the Kiskatinaw River while expanding drought and emergency planning, drawing water from the Pine River, or drawing water from the Peace River, either by Taylor or Clayhurst. Continuing to rely on the Kiskatinaw River would cost an estimated $55 million to maintain the existing infrastructure, plus the price of drought and emergency planning measures and $85 million if overland pumping is required. Construction costs for the other options vary by millions, according to the study findings; drawing water near Clayhurst is estimated at $255 million, the Taylor source is estimated at $272 million, and the Pine River option is estimated at $194 million. Each of those three is expected to last for 50 years, with maintenance costs over that time ranging from $236 million for the Pine River source, to $280 million for the Clayhurst option, to $314 million for Taylor. According to the report, the Taylor and Clayhurst areas have the most resilience to climate change and are listed as the best options for a long-term water source. Aaroe says the proposed Site E project, the fourth potential dam on the Peace River, is also a factor in their considerations, as it would cause flooding along the Taylor and Clayhurst sections. B.C. Hydro representatives are expected to speak at the Peace River Regional District on Thursday about Site E, with the Crown corporation currently exploring the feasibility of the project. Earl expressed interest in speaking to B.C. Hydro about Site E, and said he's curious to know if the city can benefit by aligning with the dam's construction. "I think it it would be prudent of us to, if that is the way that this is going, begin having those conversations early, as there's likely some significant cost savings there if we can align with that corridor and that construction cycle," he said. Recommendations on the water pipeline are expected at an Aug. 24 council meeting, while public engagement is part of the next phase of planning by the city. Subscribe to CBC’s Fort St. John Weekly for a round-up of the best news and stories from B.C.’s Peace and Northern Rockies.