A referendum for eligible RDN voters with Carmichael Road Watermain Replacement Project
The Watermain failed in 2019, and then again in 2025, 30 metres down the line. Each incident caused severe road damage as pressurized water burst below Carmichael Road. (Photo provided / Regional District of Nanaimo)
Some Nanoose Bay area voters will have an extra question on the ballot during next month’s local election.
The Regional District of Nanaimo is holding a referendum to authorize borrowing to replace a water main that’s failed twice in the last decade.
Eligible voters in a portion of Area E will be asked if they are in favour of borrowing around 1.8 million dollars plus interest to finance the Carmichael Road Watermain Replacement project in the Nanoose Bay Peninsula Water Service Area.
The Watermain failed in 2019, and then again in 2025, 30 metres down the line. Each incident caused severe road damage as pressurized water burst below Carmichael Road.
Rocky Chowdhury, project engineer with RDN Water Services and manager for the replacement, explained the history and reasoning behind the project.
If voters decide to reject the borrowing, Chowdhury said the replacement would likely have to be postponed and potentially added to a future capital plan, subject to RDN board approval. (Photo provided / Regional District of Nanaimo)
“We are proposing to replace the full length of the water main along the sloped section of the Carmichael Road, and that way, so that in the future the multiple failures in the water main pipe can be avoided, and also the repeated damage in the road can be avoided.”
The Carmichael Road watermain is funded as part of the Nanoose Bay Peninsula Water Service Area. Chowdhury said the service area’s distribution network works under one operating budget.
He explained the importance of the project, describing what could happen if the watermain were to fail again.
“Failure at any point in the distribution system affects the whole system. So, even though this is one water main in a particular road, … this is part of a broader network.”
If voters decide to reject the borrowing, Chowdhury said the replacement would likely have to be postponed and potentially added to a future capital plan, subject to RDN board approval. Then, the district would have to gradually build its capital reserves to pay for the project while continuing to repair any watermain breaks that occur in the meantime.
Chowdhury noted the consequences if the borrowing is rejected.
“The project would have to be postponed in the future, yes. So that would increase the project cost and would have to build up enough capital reserve fund to finance to do the projects in some time in the future years.”
He added building those reserves, plus the ongoing costs of repairing future breaks with road damage, would likely put a higher pressure on the service area’s parcel tax.
Chowdhury explained if the referendum is approved, the RDN plans to conduct surveys and begin design work in 2027. (Graphic provided / Regional District of Nanaimo)
Chowdhury said the project’s estimated cost was developed using a Class C cost estimate. The project is not financed through the area's capital reserve, which led the RDN having to propose a long term borrowing to fund the work.
Chowdhury explained the importance and benefits of the project.
“So every failure basically introduces a contamination risk to the entire water system. So replacing the whole length of water main that will definitely increase the reliability and safety of the whole distribution system,” said Chowdhury. “And also with every failure that the additional cost is taking to repair the water main and then and repave the road, that's increasing the operating … budget. So replacing the whole water main will definitely take away that repeated cost of repairing and replacing the road.”
Chowdhury explained if the referendum is approved, the RDN plans to conduct surveys and begin design work in 2027. Construction could begin in late 2027 or early 2028, with completion anticipated by the end of 2028.
Further project information is available on the RDN’s website.
Eligible voters in Area E will have their opportunity to vote on the referendum question soon. Advance voting days will take place October 7th and 14th. General Voting Day is October 17th.
Further and future local election coverage can be found at www.chly.ca/news.
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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