Portage la Prairie city council has approved the purchase of a new vacuum truck to replace one that was lost earlier this year. The tender was awarded to Maxim Truck and Trailer Inc. after the company submitted the only bid that met the city’s specifications. Two warranty options were presented, with council ultimately choosing the extended coverage at a cost of $252,002.65 net of GST. Waterworks Committee Chair Faron Nicholls presented the report at the September 22 council meeting. The vacuum truck is a critical piece of equipment for the waterworks operations. It’s used to unblock sewer mains, assist with maintenance, and carry out hydrovac digging to locate underground utilities. The decision comes after the city’s 2025 Kenworth T480 vacuum truck, purchased in March 2024, was damaged beyond repair in a motor vehicle accident on May 27, 2025. Manitoba Public Insurance provided a settlement of $242,660.40 for the destroyed vehicle. With no trade-in option possible, council approved covering the $21,118.08 difference through the 2025 utility operating budget. According to the report, ten companies were invited to submit tenders. Two bids were received, but only Maxim’s submission met the required specifications. The bid was evaluated based on price and sustainability criteria. Administration recommended the extended warranty, which provides an additional two years of engine and aftertreatment coverage. Maxim’s delivery date for the new vacuum truck is set for 20 weeks from the award of the contract, which means the unit should arrive in early 2026. Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon. Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@portageonline.com. PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.