The number of water main breaks increased in the third quarter of this year compared to 2018, while the overall number of breaks is also up compared to last year.
There were 35 water main breaks from July 1 to Sept. 30, compared to 21 during the same time last year, according to a third-quarter report from the engineering department. Meanwhile, there have been 93 breaks from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, compared to 68 during the same time last year.
A report went to city council’s Nov. 12 regular meeting providing details about the activities of every department during the third quarter. Council voted 6-1 to receive and file the document; Coun. Brian Swanson was opposed.
Solid waste
During the third quarter, the engineering department diverted 12.4 per cent of materials to recycling, compared to 12.8 per cent in 2018 during the same time.
Meanwhile, of the tonnage received at the landfill, there was an increase in residential garbage of 9.3 per cent, a decrease in commercial of nine per cent and an increase in private garbage of 1.3 per cent, for an overall total decrease of 3.3 per cent.
The report indicates landfill tonnage received year-to-date is down 8.7 per cent overall compared to last year.
Actual weight of garbage collected this third quarter versus 2018 third quarter:
- Commercial: 6,039 tonnes/6,636.39 tonnes
- Private: 1,966.14 tonnes/1,895.94 tonnes
- Residential: 2,529.59 tonnes/2,313.93 tonnes
- Total: 10,534.73 tonnes/10,846.26 tonnes
On the recycling side, 367,186 kilograms of materials were collected, compared to 348,393 kilograms during the third quarter of last year.
Projects
Some projects the department worked on included:
- Four of the six cast iron construction sites were completed
- Eighty-five per cent of all work on both water lining sites was completed
- Ninety per cent of the detailed design and contract documents for the Buffalo Pound to Moose Jaw water supply transmission line project was completed, with anticipated tendering and awarding of the construction contract in the fourth quarter
- Seventy-five per cent of the detailed design plans and contract documents were ready for the high service pump house replacement project, with anticipated tendering and awarding of the construction contract in the fourth quarter.
The new high service pump house will replace the old building built in the 1950s and will be designed to accommodate future demand
Transit
The number of passengers transported by bus during the third quarter was 58,232, compared to 58,313 during the same time last year. This represents a decrease of 0.1 per cent.
The number of people who used special needs transit this third quarter versus 2018 Q3 was 8,229 passengers versus 8,102 passengers.
Calls for service
| Citizen issues received | Number received | Outstanding | Resolved | Percentage resolved |
| Solid waste | 563 | 0 | 563 | 100 |
| Storm sewer | 61 | 1 | 60 | 98 |
| Roadways | 392 | 33 | 359 | 92 |
| Back lanes | 77 | 3 | 74 | 96 |
| Sidewalks | 100 | 25 | 75 | 75 |
| Water | 271 | 8 | 263 | 97 |
| Sewer | 126 | 3 | 123 | 98 |
| Other | 298 | 21 | 277 | 93 |
| Total | 1,888 | 94 | 1,794 | 95 |
Infrastructure upgrades
The engineering department paved about 12 kilometres of lanes, while about 1,000 square metres of roads were rebuilt.
Sewer and water
The following amounts of water and sewer volumes were treated during this third quarter versus 2018 Q3:
- Treated water pumped: 1,518 million litres/1,789 million litres
- Wastewater treated: 1,281 million litres/1,069 million litres
The next regular council meeting is Nov. 25.
