Supply chain issues and increased development prompt city council to reallocate funds for public works projects

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Blaine City Council unanimously approved amending the city’s 2022 capital improvement plan (CIP) to reallocate funds to pay for a new chlorine system, well rehabilitations and pressure zone upgrades. The changes were made as supply chain issues could impact the city’s chlorine gas supply and to meet water demand for development.

In June, the city’s chlorine gas supplier, Jones Chemicals Inc., informed the public works department that unanticipated processing equipment failures could impact chlorine gas orders, according to a memo from city finance director Daniel Heverling. The city was already planning a project that would produce chlorine gas on-site to treat drinking water, which became a higher priority due to supply chain issues.

Council approved reallocating funds from water tank coatings in Semiahmoo and Lincoln Park as well as a Harvey Road tank coating replacement project, according to the memo. The new chlorine building and system is estimated to cost $560,000.

The new system is expected to be up-and-running at the beginning of 2023, said acting public works director Gary McSpadden.

“Our priority shifted when we went to order our chlorine gas. It was a pretty big deal when they’re saying they can’t give us a delivery date and a proper supply guarantee,” McSpadden said. “We haven’t had an issue yet. We’re taking steps to prioritize our chlorinator system.”

An increase in anticipated Blaine development is expected to create greater water demand. Public works believes it needs to prioritize rehabilitating its existing wells and upgrade a water pressure zone to improve water capacity and reliability, according to the city memo.

Council approved relocating funds from the waterline replacement project to pay for three well rehabilitation projects totaling $300,000 and a $600,000 pressure zone upgrade. The waterline replacement, which addresses lead taps, was decreased from being allocated $1 million to $40,000 in 2022. The waterline replacement was expected to cost $6 million, split evenly over six years.

“The waterline project isn’t going away. It’s going away this year,” Heverling said. “We’ll put it back into the CIP for 2023-2028. There’s no change to the budget behind the scenes, just reallocated CIP.”

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