Saugeen Shores Council is giving pre-budget approval to the Southampton North End Sewer Project.
Director of Engineering Dave Burnside presented a recommendation Monday night that Council approve 15.1 million dollars worth of work.
Burnside says tenders are now in and the response was excellent.
He says it’s great news for the municipality that four contractors are very interested in the project and the competition means they are coming in just under budget.
Burnside explains that the project area north of the Saugeen River has been divided into 4 different sections and at least 3 tenders were received for each.
He says because they are facing a tight deadline they decided to divide up the work in order to get multiple contractors and crews on the job.
Burnside reminded council that the sewer project has been approved for two thirds government funding but the work has to be complete by March 31st, 2011.
The total project cost is estimated at 20.1 million dollars, but the final 5 million will be spread into the 2011 budget.
Burnside says the final piece of the puzzle is an agreement with the Saugeen Ojibway Nations.
He believes he will have that in place by next week’s council meeting and if so – council will award the tenders that night.
Burnside hopes to see construction start by mid-April.