Comox Valley water treatment project moving forward
March 20, 2018
By
CCE
Construction of the new water treatment system is estimated at $110 million. The project team will now finalize project design specifications and establish a shortlist of qualified design-build teams.
Rendering of proposed Comox water treatment plant. (source: CVRD)
The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) has received approval to borrow up to $29 million to pay for some of the project costs for its new Water Treatment Project following the success of its Alternative Approval Process (AAP).
The AAP approach allows eligible citizens to oppose a project, in this case, at the close of the AAP, 31 eligible elector response forms were received. With fewer than 10% registering their opposition, the funding is now authorized, and the District can continue moving the Water Treatment Project forward.
“The CVRD now has the mandate to deliver residents the modern system they deserve, a system that meets current health standards and ensures safe, high quality drinking water well into the future,” said director Bob Wells, Chair of the CVRD Water Committee, in a release from the District. “Having the results of the AAP also bolsters our case for grant funding, as it demonstrates strong public support for the project.”
In early 2017, the CVRD hired Opus International to undertake further analysis of capital costs, review the design-build (DB) approach, and confirm the project’s parameters and scope.
The proposed new system will include:
- Deep-water intake to access cooler, cleaner water found deeper in the lake.
- Raw water pump station near the intake.
- Raw water pipeline from pump station to the treatment plant.
- Water Treatment Plant including filtration and disinfection.
- Treated water pipeline from the pant to the water distribution system.
Construction of the new water treatment system is estimated at $110 million.
Land for the future water treatment plant has been purchased. While awaiting grant funding announcements, the project team will finalize project design specifications and establish a shortlist of design-build teams qualified to undertake the project and ensure it is shovel-ready when funding is announced.
Temporary ultraviolet (UV) treatment was installed at the existing chlorination treatment plant in January 2018. The interim measure is expected to reduce boil water notices by approximately 80%. Once the new water treatment system is operational in 2021, all turbidity-related boil water notices will be eliminated.
