PAGE OCR B4 – November 2009 – The Ontario Construction Report
The annual billion dollar underground infrastructure deficit:
OSWCA says crisis looms unless gap filled
STAFF WRITER – The OCR Construction Report
Municipal politicians don’t want to because of continuing budgeted public
raise water rates because they don’t want works, and the fact that contractors from
The numbers are staggering. The On-
to be seen as increasing taxes, says other sectors cannot simply decide to go
tario Sewer and Watermain Construction
OSWCA president Greg White. “But with into sewer and water work, without spe-
Association (OSWCA) believes the under-
provincial legislation, municipal politicians cialized equipment and knowledge – so
ground services infrastructure deficit in
would have be able save face – they can outsiders aren’t jumping into the market
Ontario is in the range of a billion dollars a
say they are required to do it.” out of desperation.
year.
“People waste money on bottled water,” White estimates that that while water
That is, this is the gap between what is
White said. “Water is relatively cheap. rates for most homeowners may need to be
being spent on essential underground serv-
And sewers are vital to public health.” increased significantly, these can be phased
ices, and what needs to be spent. So each
These observations are supported by the in over several years, and municipalities
year, as essential repairs and maintenance,
British Medical Journal which reported a will save much money by eliminating
along with upgrades, are delayed or de-
survey in 2007 that sewers have con- waste, leaks, and the need for costly emer-
ferred, the system ages and reaches closer
tributed more to life expectancy and health gency repairs.
to a crisis breaking point.
than any drug, treatment, or other health Sewer and water infrastructure work,
This number seems huge, until you re-
advance since 1840. also, is relatively easy to finance as life
alize that the provincial and federal gov-
White and OSWCA’s former interim cycle and financing costs can be amortized
ernments are spending more than $32.5
executive director Graeme Clark say that with predictable user fees and rates. “Even
billion overall on infrastructure in Ontario
the current recession has hurt the industry, if homeowners paid the true full cost of the
in 2009-11, and the fraction linked to what
with volumes declining by about 30 per service, the bill for the average homeowner
is undoubtedly one of the most vital infra-
cent, largely because of reduced new con- wouldn’t be greater than $1,000 a year,” he
structure areas – underground sewer and
struction for subdivisions. Recently-an- said.
water services – is a fraction of that num- Yet OSWCA leaders say the cost to tax-
nounced government stimulus money is “This is a problem that needs to be
ber. payers to resolve the problems need not be
helpful, but few larger scale sewer and solved in an orderly, planned way,” says
If unresolved, the mounting debt in prohibitive – and the solution, legislation
water projects are truly “shovel ready” — White. “You don’t want to do everything
sewer and water maintenance will cause mandating municipalities to budget and
they need engineering studies, environ- at once – but you don’t want to leave things
potentially catastrophic losses; with sink- plan for sustainable maintenance and up-
mental assessments and careful plans be- until they are falling apart.” Legislation
holes, costly emergency repairs, and sig- grading of sewer and water systems can be
fore they can get started. Nevertheless, the mandating sustainable sewer and water
nificant economic disruption throughout designed to minimize stress, both political
industry is to some extent shielded from services will address these issues effec-
the province. and economic.
the most severe aspects of the recession tively and economically, he said.
Hanson Pressure Pipe: Practical, cost-saving
resources for water and sewer projects
STAFF WRITER – The OCR Construction Report
(350 metres) to 120 inches (3,000 metres),
also is exceptionally durable. This means
Contractors and public agencies con-
the true life-cycle cost of the pipe can be
sidering the best form of pipe to use for
much lower than the alternative.
water and sewer projects weigh several key
“Our pressure pipe, once it is in the
elements in their decision-making: Mate-
ground, can last up to 100 years, that’s the
rial cost, installation challenges and, most
kind of assurance our customers want.”
significantly, the pipe’s sustainability, dura-
Miceli, quoting from Hanson documen-
bility and risk of failure.
tation, observed: “Hanson Pressure Pipe
Here, Hanson Pressure Pipe in a diver-
provides “comprehensive service,” mean-
sity of diameters designed for a variety of
ing we are involved with the owners, engi-
conditions, is usually the best choice, says
neers and contractors from the very
Domenico Miceli, Hanson Pressure Pipe’s
beginning of a project through the life of
Director of Sales ( Canada).
the pipe in the ground.
“Our product is designed to withstand
“Hanson designs and manufacturers
the test of time,” Miceli says. “With in-
pipe for the long-term to provide a lasting
herent structural capabilities, our product
solution rather than a short-term fix,” he
can be easily installed by labourers and
said.
contractors and is a trustworthy and sus-
“We’ve found several jurisdictions now
tainable choice.”
insist on concrete pressure pipe, such as the
Concrete pressure pipe has significant
region of Peel. “They know through expe-
advantages over flexible pipe. Since our
rience that there are competing products
pipe is in itself a structure, the installation This reduces the installation risk and
but believe concrete pressure pipe is gen-
contractor does not need to use the sur- challenges of failure – pipe bending and
erally the pipe of choice.”
rounding fill material to build the support- breaking under conditions where proper in-
Miceli can provide technical support,
ing structures to handle the load-bearing stallation processes aren’t followed.
specifications and other information. He
issues (as with flexible pipe), “With con- Therefore less effort is needed in installa-
can be reached by email at
crete pressure pipe, the structure is rigid tion.
Domenico.Miceli@hanson.com. You can
and does not count on the trench to give it Concrete pressure pipe, which is avail-
also visit the Hanson Pressure Pipe website
support.” able in a range of diameters from 14 inches
at http://www.hansonpressurepipe.com/
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