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Nanaimo begins major water supply upgrade

Site preparations start this week

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed March 2, 2022 11:00 AM

Summary

With construction expected to begin this summer on the Mid-Town Water Supply Project, the City of Nanaimo will begin falling trees along the Parkway and in Beban Park. Work is starting now to avoid disturbing birds in the coming nesting season. Crews will preserve as many trees as possible and will replant many of them when the project is finished.

The project provides service to central and north Nanaimo, including Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH). A broken water main on Bowen Road in April 2020 interrupted water supply to the hospital and could have caused significant damage to local businesses and residents.

City Council re-organized the water-funded capital plan to undertake this project which will bolster resilience, support growth throughout Nanaimo and ensure NRGH has a dedicated potable water and fire protection feed.

The project also supports active transportation in Nanaimo, by providing a future corridor between the E&N and Parkway trails along the pipe’s alignment. The trail will be paved through Beban Park to Boxwood Road.

For more information, visit the Mid-Town Water Supply Project page at www.nanaimo.ca.

Link to Strategic Plan: Governance excellence - ensuring a resilient community

Key Points

  • This multi-year upgrade to Nanaimo's water supply infrastructure will support resilience and avoid risk of water supply disruption to the northern two-thirds of the City.
  • Trees will be cleared along the route prior to the spring bird-nesting season. This work is expected to start on March 3, 2022 and will include sections along the Nanaimo Parkway from East Wellington to Northfield Road and through Beban Park. Please obey all safety warning signage and cordoned off areas during this activity.
  • While short-term construction impacts will occur, the alignment of the water supply pipelines are designed to avoid major traffic corridors and built-up areas. This helps keep major infrastructure clear for future maintenance.
  • The Mid-Town Water Supply Project consists of major pipeline trenching along Bowen Road, East Wellington, the Parkway, Northfield Road, Boxwood Road and through Beban Park to Labieux Road.

Quotes

"In the early days of the pandemic, Nanaimo residents dealt with another emergency - the surprising failure of a major water supply pipeline on Bowen Road. We were fortunate there were no injuries. We are taking action to ensure this doesn't happen again. Council quickly reorganized its water capital plan to accelerate the replacement of this critical piece of infrastructure and protect water supply for Nanaimo."

Leonard Krog
Mayor
City of Nanaimo

"Council was very responsive in recognizing the serious implications of this major water main failure. Within a short turn-around, the City is preparing to begin construction this summer on replacing this major water supply pipeline in a new alignment. The new pipe will be more resilient to failure, and provide for secure water supply to more than two-thirds of the city. This is a major infrastructure upgrade and will serve the community for generations."

Bill Sims
General Manager, Engineering & Public Works
City of Nanaimo

Images

Water Supply Pipeline Route
Water Supply Pipeline Route
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Contact:

For media enquiries, please contact
Communications
City of Nanaimo
250-754-4251

Print News Release

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