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Environmental utilities department proud of progress made in 2018

Nov 19, 2018 | 2:58 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The city’s environmental utilities department is proud of the work they’ve done during the 2018 construction season.

While there are still some projects that need to be finished in the spring of 2019, crews were able to finish some of the major projects on their agenda before the end of the season.

“Over the course of 2018, we replaced over 2.6 kilometres of water mains, and we replaced more than 4 and a half kilometres of sewer mains,” said Brian Murphy, general manager of the city’s environmental utilities department.

Murphy adds the department is particularly proud they were able to finish a major project on Carry Drive Southeast.

“I’d say our biggest success is the completion of the relining of a large sewer trunk main on Carry Drive,” he said. “This was the first time we’ve relined a section of sewer of that size. While that work is far less disruptive than open cut replacement, it’s still a significant project. We had lots of small detours in place, we had overnight work.”

Crews were also able to finish major water main and sewer main replacement in Riverside during the season.

“We’re working on infrastructure that’s more than 100 years old, and so we had a number of complex aspects of that construction,” said Murphy, noting Finlay Bridge has to be closed to vehicle traffic at several points.

Some projects, including work on 8th Street Northeast near Monsignor McCoy High School, were not finished. Temporary paving has been set up on that street, so it can be wrapped up in the spring. Murphy adds other smaller projects will carry over to 2019, such as landscaping and cleanup work.

With warm temperatures and good weather throughout the summer and the fall, Murphy says crews were able to complete lots of their scheduled work during the season.

“The weather was very cooperative all the way through the summer, and through the fall,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to be able to be working this late into the season, and so that puts us in a great position for the small items that we have to wrap up next year, and to be ready for a whole new series of projects starting next spring.”

The department is currently finalizing its infrastructure priorities for the 2019 season.