Photo: City of West Kelowna

The completion of the new Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant project is creeping closer.

The City of West Kelowna has initiated the project's final phase — constructing 3.7 kilometres of water transmission mains that will connect residents on the West Kelowna Estates and Sunnyside/Pritchard water systems to the new Rose Valley Water Service Area.

The $10-million contract was awarded to local company Bluepoint Construction Ltd.

“This award of construction represents the last significant milestone in connecting half of our population to this new modern water system,” says Mayor Gord Milsom.

“This multi-year project began in 2020, and despite a challenging construction market and supply chain disruptions, we are pleased to see Council’s number one priority infrastructure project take this last step to provide reliable high-quality drinking water for our community. I am grateful for our community’s patience while this critical infrastructure is built to replace our city’s ageing water systems.”

Construction is being coordinated to happen in conjunction with active transportation upgrades on Westlake and Parkinson Roads, from West Kelowna Road to Pettman Road and with drainage improvements on Rosewood Drive.

When operational in 2023, the water treatment plant will serve 18,000 residents with room to grow.

The $75 million budget for the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant includes $41 million in funding from the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

Maple Reinders was awarded the $45.1 million contract for construction of the main treatment plant building and treated water reservoir in March 2021.