Point Edward stands to save a little money on a major redevelopment of Venetian Boulevard because some watermain work has been deferred.
A 10-inch main was planned to replace the existing six-inch water pipe between Exmouth Street and the Holiday Inn. But a massive 42-inch main belonging to the Lambton Area Water Supply System (LAWSS) was unexpectedly found in the same location. Apparently, the drawings mapping out underground pipes weren’t accurate.
“There are a lot of other utilities in the way. We think we should abandon the project for now and deal with it in about seven to 10 years when the road has to be dug up again,” said CAO Jim Burns.
Leaving the six-inch watermain could shave $125,000 off the multi-million dollar road reconstruction.
Installing a larger pipe in future will increase capacity for future growth on Exmouth Street and provide better water pressure, staff said.