West Kelowna water plant may need a few more days

The tender closing date for the main contract associated with West Kelowna’s new water treatment plant could be extended.

Plans had been for a Jan. 21 cutoff. But the four general contractors pre-selected to bid on the contract have submitted more than 150 technical questions that haven’t all been answered yet by city staff.

“The questions are coming in fast and furious,” engineering chief Allen Fillion told council on Tuesday.

It’s in the city’s best interest to provide as much detailed information to project bidders as possible, even if means extending the tender closing date, council heard. “If there’s a bit of confusion, they just build that into their price,” Filliion said.

In 2017, the total project was estimated to cost about $50 million. Last fall, a new estimate of about $75 million was produced.

When operational, the Rose Valley plant will serve about 8,500 residential and business customers.