It appears Portage la Prairie city council's decision to re-tender a chemical supply contract will lead to cost-savings.

Councillors discussed a tender bid of $613,142.86 received from Graymont Western Canada Inc. for the supply of Lime at the Water Treatment Plant. The lime contract was initially tendered in March, but council voted to re-issue it after receiving only one bid of $754,120, which was more than 17 per cent over the budgeted cost of $637,257.

"One of the suppliers that we dealt with in the past had missed the tender deadline and hadn't tendered," says Waterworks Committee chair Wayne Wall. "...It's now 2.9 per cent under budget so we'll be recommending award of the tender at the next council meeting."

If accepted, the new bid would offer cost savings of over $140,000 compared to the initial tender offer received in March.

See related story: "City Approves Tenders For Water Treatment Chemicals, Re-Issues One"