An Orangeville-area firm has won the contract for upgrading of two town wells deemed at risk of becoming contaminated by surface runoffs.

A tender of $1,370,251 was accepted from Gibson Contracting, was the lowest of eight bids, with the highest coming in at $1,760,100 from Hadovic Construction of Oshawa.

At the site of Wells 5A and 5B, north of Greenwood Cemetery, a new treatment and control building will be constructed just east of the wells.

The funding will come from Ontario Small Town and Rural Program (OSTAR) funding and water rates.

The contract is the second last to be awarded for an upgrading project required to meet new provincial standards set in the wake of the Walkerton water disaster of 2001, the totaL cost of which has been estimated at between $14 million and $17 million.

Public Works Director Jack Tupling said Wednesday he plans to give council a final, accurate estimate of the project's cost at its September 11 session.

However, with tenders due to close late this month on the final contract, he predicted the final price tag will be "in line with" the lower figure of slightly under $14 million which has been approved for OSTAR (Ontario Small Town and Rural) infrastructure funding.

In a report to town council's last meeting, Mr. Tupling noted that although upgrades to three wells - Wells 6 and 11 on Townline and Well 7 at Mono Meadows Park west of Blind Line - are complete, but the work on preventing other, "GUDI" (Groundwater Under the Direct Influence of surface water) wells from potentially contaminating the town's water system is far from complete, with some tenders still to be opened.

R. J. Burnside and Associates Limited are providing engineering and hydrogeology consulting services for upgrades to the GUDI wells - Well 2 at Broadway and C Line; Wells 5 A and B;Wells 8 A, B and C on Blind Line north of Hansen Blvd.; Wells 9 A and B near Riddell and Chapman Rd., and Well 10 on Highway 10 in Caledon.

The Town has also been given approval to connect the new Transmetro Well, now Well 12, near Veterans Way (Dufferin 16) as part of the upgrades.

A Class Environmental Assessment (EA), and engineering design are both complete and an application was submitted to the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) for approval to construct the works.

The MOE granted approval on July 12. As well, new Permits to Take Water were issued for Wells 8 and 12. However, Town staff is working with the MOE as there were some minor inconsistencies.

Mr. Tupling said a single contract is to be awarded for Wells 2, 8 (ABC) and 9 (AB), tenders for which are to close on August 29, with a report on the bidding being made to council at the Sept. 11 session.

Work for Well 2 involves construction of a forcemain from the treatment building at C Line and Broadway to the sanitary sewer system for the disposal of filter backwash water.

A previous lone tender for the this work was rejected by council because of the cost estimate and the anticipated widening of Broadway, near the Petro Canada gas station, was part of the project. This portion of the project will be retendered in the early winter.

The completion date for the treatment and control building at the Well 12 site is January 20, 2007, and the related watermain and forcemain on Veterans Way are expected to be finished by midDecember of this year.

Work is expected to be completed on Well 10 by February 5, 2007.

Mr. Tupling has said previously that the town will have to seek permission from the province to extend the deadline for completion of the massive project, now set as January 2007.