City staff to take on water management

It will add manpower to the City payroll, reversing a two-decade-old policy of contracting out some Public Works tasks, notable examples being garbage collection and parks maintenance.

Until 2006, the distribution of drinking water was undertaken by the City of Montreal, and the maintenance of the trunk mains still are — as well as the provision of the water itself.

The announcement of Westmount taking back the management of domestic distribution from the private sector could come at a special council meeting next Thursday at noon or be held over until the regular monthly meeting on Monday, Aug. 27.

Utilities Commissioner Patrick Martin explained that the contract with Dessau-Soprin — defined and negotiated by the Transition Committee in 2005 and later ratified by the reconstituted Council — had worked well.

However, it has now been decided that the work could be done more cost-effectively in the future by Westmount’s own employees.

“A pilot scheme has been put together to take over the management at the end of the year. We plan to employ two more blue-collar personnel,” said Martin. “Local 301 union chief Michel Parent was personally involved in negotiating with the City and has been extremely helpful in the outcome.”

The City will also have to invest in some new equipment, to be bought in the fall.

When Transition Committee Chairman Pierre Lortie came to Westmount in 2005 to explain the proposed water maintenance opportunity, there were strong representations by blue collars that they should be given the work.

They pointed out the excellent service provided by Hydro Westmount, with an all-staff workforce.

Now they will have the opportunity to prove their point.

Dessau-Soprin has managed the service for the last year and a half, calling on sub-contractors to do the actual work.

Similarly, if necessary Westmount will also supplement its workforce with sub-contractors, but under direct management by City employees.

Major installation work, such as the recent rebuilding of Kensington Ave., was subject to separate tendered contracts by specialized construction companies,

Last year, Westmount hired Michel Berthelet, a former Montreal Water Department supervisor, as its water specialist, and he will continue with the City.

“His contribution has been invaluable. It is important to have a good working arrangement with Montreal, which is still responsible for mains, and he has a thorough knowledge of the various interlinked systems,” Martin added.

He also pointed out that Public Works Director Jacques Lahaie, who proposed the pilot scheme to Council, has also shown that the department’s introduction of new techniques of pipe lining are extremely efficient while less costly than expected. This will permit an acceleration of the programme to bring the water network up to standard.

“The expertise of our staff, proven by that kind of successful innovation, gives Council confidence that we can take on the management of water distribution,” the councillor said.

“That we have said little about the water maintenance until now was not because of a ‘fortress city hall’, but rather that negotiations were both complex and sensitive.”

A separate contract with Dessau-Soprin required a review of the entire system, which is up to 100 years old, to determine a modernization and replacement strategy. This has proved to be more complex than anticipated, and delivery of the results is not expected until next month.