Like many others in southeast Saskatchewan, the City of Estevan is waiting to hear how much of the damages and costs incurred during the floods of 2011 will be covered by the Provincial Disaster Assistance Plan.
In a recent interview with The Mercury, City manager Jim Puffalt said Estevan's claim is for roughly $7.5 million. He added the City met with PDAP and hope to hear how much of the claim will be awarded to them in the near future.
"(City engineer) Kiflom Weldeab met with (PDAP), spent the day with them and took them around and showed them all the pictures of everything that we had done and the damages that were caused. He said it was a very positive day."
Puffalt said the City's claim is a wide-ranging one and covers everything from roads to financial losses from when they closed the Souris Valley Aquatic and Leisure Centre to house area residents forced from their homes by the flood.
"While we weren't under water, we had lots of damage to our road structures. Kensington north took a licking from how wet it was," said Puffalt. "In Pleasantdale Valley, the pathway got totally washed out. Fourth Avenue south was totally messed up and at the airport there were lots of issues with water sitting around the airport."
Although much of the focus when it came to the flooding in the immediate Estevan area centred around the Souris River, Woodlawn Regional Park and areas south of the city such as the Willow Park Greens Mobile Home Park, Puffalt said the municipal airport was also hit hard by overland flooding similar to that faced by Benson and Lampman.
"The water had nowhere to go and it was just basically sitting around the airport and causing damage to the asphalt and the drainage," he said. "The whole area is kind of flat and we had some of those same issues."
Puffalt added the claim also included money spent keeping the water treatment plant operational during the height of the flood. As was well documented, the plant became an island unto itself as the floodwaters encircled it. The City was forced to transport workers into the plant by boat and all chemicals needed for day-to-day operations were airlifted in by a helicopter.
"We have claimed for everything we believe was a reasonable expense and it will be adjudicated by PDAP and we'll find out. (PDAP) is swamped with claims, so we expect we'll hear as soon as possible."
PDAP's decision will have a significant impact on the City's 2012 budget and in turn the taxpayers of Estevan. Puffalt said the budget includes monies for work on areas such as Fourth Avenue south and Kensington north. If that work is covered by their claim, the City should be able to get all the work included in the budget done.
"Woodlawn Avenue south for example, that gravel road was underwater for probably three weeks," he said. "We have a lot of money in the budget to fix those things so it will certainly be a help, no question. It would enable us to get everything done this year."
