PUC weekly activity report: LED conversion project nears completion

WEEKLY ACTIVITY NOTICE

PUC

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SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT. - PUC wishes to advise the public of the following activities for the week of Oct. 17, 2016. This notice is organized into four sections; Electrical line clearing (tree trimming), water infrastructure renewal, water operations activities, and the LED streetlight conversion project.

Electrical line clearing program (Tree trimming)

Each year, PUC Forestry Technicians inspect Sault Ste. Marie’s electrical distribution system. During this process, trees near power lines are trimmed or removed as needed by our line-clearing contractor Asplundh Canada to reduce the risk of contact with high voltage electrical wires. The purpose of this work is to ensure public safety while at the same time improving the reliability of our city’s electrical system by reducing the number of unplanned power interruptions. Completing this inspection and trimming program for the entire city takes approximately three years.

For the week of Oct. 17 - 21, tree trimming will continue in the area of Arden Street and Korah Road. Customers are reminded that if they have a dead tree or notice one near overhead electrical lines to please contact PUC Customer Care at 705-759-6522.

Water infrastructure renewal

This year’s Water Infrastructure Renewal Projects (Street Reconstruction) are underway. The PUC will be working with city staff to keep affected customers informed on the following renewal projects:

• Coulson Ave
• Manor Road
• Second Ave (Wallace Terr. to Connaught Ave)
• John Street (City Aqueduct Project)

Water operations activities

Operational activities for the week are: 

• Watermain Relining Project – Irwin Avenue and Tuckett Street
  • Commissioning of a temporary water supply for the residents affected by the watermain relining project is continuing.
  • The watermains on Irwin Ave and Tuckett St are scheduled to be removed from service in preparation for relining. 
• Queensgate Subdivision
  • A developer is installing new residential water services for the Queensgate subdivision. During this process, PUC will oversee the connection to the water system.
• Annual Hydrant Testing
  • Testing is ongoing for the city’s approximately 2500 fire hydrants. This work is necessary to ensure all hydrants are functioning properly. There will be no hydrant testing on weekends and holidays.
• Coulson Avenue
  • Installation of a new main is progressing north on Coulson Avenue starting from Queen Street East.
• Second Avenue 
  • Installation of a new main is progressing north on Second Avenue starting from Wallace Terrace.
• Gore Street
  • Installation and commissioning of the new watermain on Gore Street is complete. PUC would like to thank the residents in the area for their patience and cooperation during this project.
• John Street
  • Construction work for the new watermain is underway.

There is a chance customers in the areas impacted by infrastructure renewal or operational activities may experience a change in water quality. This is because anytime there is a significant shift in the rate or direction of flow of water in the distribution system, sediment in the watermains can be disturbed and carried along with the water. Customers are asked to contact PUC Customer Care should they experience discoloured water or any unusual change in water quality.  

LED streetlight conversion project

The conversion of Sault Ste. Marie’s 9,050 High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) streetlights to the more efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures is nearing completion. Customers looking for more information on the project, or for project status updates, are encouraged to visit the PUC’s website.

The PUC would like to remind all customers that work scheduled for next week is tentative and subject to change due to weather or resource constraints.

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