Although the city’s new half-million dollar flusher truck may be bigger and better than the old one, it’s a little too long for its predecessor’s storage building.
The flusher truck is described by city staff as a very important piece of equipment primarily used for sanitary/storm main flushing, catch-basin cleaning and excavations.
As part of the city’s equipment replacement program, the new flusher truck was purchased recently to replace the aging unit that was due to retire. With the trade-in, the new flusher truck is worth about $540,000, which was within the approved budget of $550,000.
The truck is used year round and is typically stored in a heated building at the public works yard during the cold months.
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However, because the new truck is slightly longer than the old one, the existing building will require a renovation to accommodate the extra length.
“Staff reviewed all possible options for storing the new flusher truck through the cold months of the year and the most feasible, least expensive option would be to construct an extension on the existing building. Staff have prepared a construction estimate, utilizing own sources and have determined a budget of $25,000 would be required,” states the staff report to council.
Rob Niewenhuizen, the city’s director of public works and engineering, explained to council that the truck is like a vacuum truck and is used for exposing mains, power lines, everything that’s in the ground. He said it’s low impact, low disturbance and if the city didn’t have it, one would have to be hired. He said a good business case has been made for owning one.
City council approved amending the 2019 budget to take $25,000 from the public works machinery and equipment storage building reserve to construct a flusher truck building addition.
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