Weather boosts water-main breaks

Three other city reports focus on policies for waste management, writes Phil Tank.

Saskatoon’s water main breaks so far this year are outpacing those of four years ago, which was one of the worst years in the last quartercentury.

Russ Munro, director of water and waste stream, told a city council committee Tuesday this year’s 48 water main breaks are slightly ahead of the 2014 pace. The same conditions appear to be driving this year’s high number of water main breaks as in 2014: Cold temperatures with very little snow cover.

In 2014, the frost reached a depth of nine feet, a city report says. So far this year, the frost has reached four to seven feet, Munro told council’s environment, utilities and corporate services committee.

In 2014, residents suffered 316 water main breaks and another 280 frozen connections. That made 2014 the fifth worst year for water main breaks in the last 24, following 2003 (415), 1996 (410), 2002 (341) and 1998 (337).

Munro said the city is better prepared than in 2014 to handle water disruptions thanks to two additional emergency water trailers.

Coun. Darren Hill wondered whether residents are aware that when their water service is disrupted, they are allowed to shower at city-owned recreation facilities.

DUMPING REWARDS

Offering cash rewards for those whose tips result in fines for illegal dumping could serve as a deterrent to dumpers, but the number of rewards handed out in jurisdictions that use the practice is “extremely low,” a City of Saskatoon report says.

The report was presented at Tuesday’s environment, utilities and corporate services committee meeting after a request to look into the possibility of cash rewards by Coun. Darren Hill.

Research was conducted by city administration into jurisdictions that offer rewards for illegal dumping convictions. City hall is preparing to address an anticipated increase in illegal dumping as it considers moving to a userfee approach to trash collection.

The city receives between 400 and 500 complaints about back lane garbage and illegal dumping a year, the report says. In about 75 per cent of these cases, the city is unable to track down the culprits and cleans up the trash at a combined cost of about $300,000 a year.

The city only issues about 10 tickets for illegal dumping a year. In about 100 cases a year, the dumper is successfully identified and cleans up the garbage.

Fines for illegal dumping have been increased and can now be levied against the registered owners of vehicles seen involved in acts of illegal dumping.

The municipalities that offer rewards for illegal dumping convictions do not allow anonymous tipsters to receive cash, the report says. The municipalities were unable to provide insight on the success of rewards based on number of fines, the report adds.

Hill agreed a measure of illegal dumping before and after the introduction of rewards was missing. He was told that information was not provided. Council will consider the report later this month.

LANDFILL OVERHAUL

A $23.4-million transformation of operations at the Saskatoon landfill could be completed in three years, a City of Saskatoon report says.

The Recovery Park project would revamp parts of the landfill to include a recycling station and other infrastructure to shift the focus to waste diversion.

The cost of the recovery portions of the project are estimated at $7.4 million, while relocating current landfill operations is estimated to cost $16 million.

The report was considered by city council’s environment, utilities and corporates services committee Tuesday. City administra- tion revealed in November that only $7 million of funding was in place for the project.

The report presented Tuesday outlines a revamped funding plan, including $9 million of borrowing and nearly $3 million of federal funding that is not yet confirmed. If the federal funding is not available, the report suggests borrowing $12 million.

The money would be paid back through property tax or user fees if city hall moves to a new funding method for trash collection.

The committee approved moving ahead with the project, but council needs to give the final OK later this month. If the initiative is approved, the city would seek out builders near the end of the year with completion set for early 2021.

APARTMENTS INCLUDED

Despite “unique challenges,” Saskatoon city hall will try to include apartments and townhouses in a new initiative to collect food scraps and yard waste, a city report says.

City administration is exploring a city-wide collection service for organic waste to try to divert more material from the landfill. A 2016 city study showed 40 per cent or 5,000 tonnes of the material sent to the dump from apartments and townhouses could have been composted.

Council’s environment, utilities and corporate services committee endorsed exploring an organics collection program for apartments. One challenge for such a program is that such properties may not have enough space for another container, the report says.