RDN hosts information sessions for Departure Bay Pump Station and Force Main Expansion Project
The Departure Bay Pump Station will undergo major upgrades over the next four years. (Photo by Luis Zablah)
Nanaimo’s 50 year old sewer system is getting an upgrade at Departure Bay.
The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) is working with the City of Nanaimo, and is preparing to kick off work on the Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Expansion Project. The project is scheduled to take around four years to complete. The project is designed to renew the pump station at Departure Bay Beach, and is adding a four kilometre run of new sewer force main along Hammond Bay Rd from the pump station north to the Greater Nanaimo Pollution Control Centre at McGuffie Road.
Chris Mathie, project engineer at the RDN and project manager of the Pump Station and Force Main Expansion Project comments on the potential consequences if the infrastructure were to be left as is.
“We had one in 2021 where the failure resulted in overflow conditions that made national news. So if we can't convey the sewage, it's the only line that we have for 75% of the flow for the city of Nanaimo, and that wastewater has to go somewhere.
Mathie explains the current infrastructure is 50 years old and is needed to upgrade wastewater capacity to meet not only current, but future needs. Currently the pump station is sitting at capacity, while the force main has deteriorated and is in need of replacement.
The RDN holds a information session on the Pump Station and Force Main Expansion Project. (Luis Zablah / CHLY 101.7FM)
The RDN claims improving this section of the wastewater system is vital, as it moves 75 per cent of the City of Nanaimo’s wastewater to the pollution control centre. The expansion will double the pump station’s capacity, from approximately 1,200 litres per second to 2,460 litres.
Mathie says the project is critical for Nanaimo’s ability to accommodate future growth.
“The main takeaway for this work is that you know it is a very important project for the city of Nanaimo to be able to build for the next 50 years. So the design timeline for these stations is in the 50 year span. So without this project, the economic development in the city would be very hampered because we would not be able to convey enough wastewater. So, this is really helping the city build for the next 50 years.”
Pre-construction work began in the area earlier this year, which included ground investigations and traffic improvements in preparation for the project. Investigations are set to continue through mid to late 2026, requiring intermittent single lane traffic along Hammond Bay Rd. Additionally, this project also provides an opportunity to replace other important infrastructure beneath Hammond Bay Rd.
Phil Stewart, manager of engineering projects with the City of Nanaimo, comments on the secondary projects in the surrounding area.
“We only want to do a major project on that road once. So we're going to go in and we're going to do all the water main upgrades and all the sewer upgrades that we would need to do over the next, you know, five to 10 years during this project.”
Stewart explains that around $20 million dollars in city utilities are expected to be replaced, including water mains, storm sewers and sanitary sewers. Once the underground work is complete, the road will be repaved and ready for use once again. He adds that upgrades to pedestrian, cycling and transit infrastructure in the area are being looked at, but subject to the available budget.
Last week the RDN hosted two informal information sessions at Departure Bay Beach, where the community could ask questions, learn about traffic plans and sign up for project updates.
According to Mathie, residents have raised concerns about traffic at the sessions, with worries about longer travel times, and access to nearby schools and emergency services.
“The majority of the community concerns were in regards to traffic management, the impact of reducing Hammond Bay Road to single lane, southbound only.”
According to the RDN’s project website full construction along Hammond Bay Rd is expected to begin in early 2027, and continue up to 2031. During that time, traffic through work areas will be limited to southbound travel, while northbound traffic will be redirected through Rutherford Rd, Uplands Drive and Departure Bay Rd.
Stewart comments on the unavoidable impact construction will create in the area.
“There's no way of saying it lightly that a construction project of this long will definitely have an impact of people that drive through the area on a regular basis, and that's going to be a challenge.”
He says traffic management and construction timelines are being worked on at the city and the RDN to balance these issues to residents while completing these projects.
Further information is available at the RDN’s Departure Bay Pump Station Project webpage.
Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.
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