Public works keeps Kamloops running

Flooding kept the public works department busy in 2012.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

April 22, 2013 - 4:45 PM

The average household contributed an average of $3.25 per day in property taxes to the public works and utilities department in 2012 – that was all it took to keep the city roads, sewers and garbage services running.

The department is comprised of offices services, capital projects, sustainability and environmental services, streets and internal services and utilities.

More than 1,700 more calls for services were made in 2012 compared to the year before, though 120 of those were actually for the parks department. In total 2012 saw 18,438 calls with 11,390 of those calls for service. Of the calls for service nearly a third were for the solid waste department and a quarter were for water utilities.

The city has also been accepting emails to report a problem since 2005 and engagement through this manner has increased substantially since it was first introduced – going from 192 emails in the first year to 1,512 in 2012.

The myKamloops app – a way for mobile phone users to report non-emergency problems to the city – saw 163 users report a total of 438 problems in 2012, 135 of which were graffiti reports. The app has also aided in locating potholes, problems sidewalk areas, flooding and other maintenance needing attention around the city.

Major projects in 2012 included the continued installation of universal residential water meters, Lorne Street upgrades and rehabilitation to several streets around the city, including collector and arterial roads.

2012 also saw an increase in solid waste tonnage, with the overall amount coming in at 71,000 tonnes – 3,000 more than 2011. Landfilled waste actually decreased by 500 tonnes though with 2,000 more tonnes going to recycling and another 1,500 tonnes coming from yard waste.

Those working on roads in 2012 were kept busy sweeping more than 1,410 km of lanes, repairing 620 street lights and 410 traffic lights. 4,800 hours were also spent repairing potholes in 2012, 935 metres of sidewalk were replaced and 136 metres of sidewalks trip hazards were ground off.

The department also dealt with flooding from backed up storm drainage during major rainfall events – June 29 and July 23 - as well as flood protection during peak river levels which at 344.09 metres was the fourth highest in recent history.

To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 819-3723.