ESTEVAN - Estevan city council awarded the water treatment plant chemical tenders for next year.
Brenntag was awarded the tenders for chlorine for $41,731.20, which was a 26 per cent increase from last year, and potassium manganate (KMnO4) for $18,952.50, which is a 22.8 per cent increase in pricing. However, the total amount of KMnO4 needed has dropped from 160 containers to 100 due to the city switching its primary water source from Boundary Dam to Rafferty Dam.
Ammonium sulphate for the water treatment plant was awarded to Klearwater for $14,647.50, which is a change of 2.5 per cent from last year.
The fluoride tender also went to Klearwater for $12,733.81, which was up 13 per cent.
Aluminum sulphate went to Chemtrade for $96,470. It was not tendered last year. The chemical is used as a coagulant during the summer months.
Shane Bucsis, the manager of the water treatment and wastewater treatment plants, wrote to council that most chemicals at the water treatment plant are imported from overseas or are transported long distances. The sharp increase in chemical is due to shipping increases and a jump in costs for manufacturing.
"I am hoping this trend will taper off and we will get more stable pricing next year. Over the past two years, the notable increases are chlorine, 56 per cent increase, KMnO4, 49.9 per cent increase, and aluminum sulphate, 31.1 per cent increase."
The chemical costs for the plant remain much lower since switching to Rafferty Dam as the primary water source, Bucsis said. Lower dosages keep chemical costs within budget.
"With these prices, we could see an overage in the chemical budget. If this trend continues, we will need to look at increasing water rates to compensate."
