‘Growth-enabling infrastructure:’ Nanaimo considering long-term borrowing for sewer upgrades

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He said it’s an issue which can’t be eliminated, only managed, with the City regularly monitoring 15 locations for sanitary trunk catchment constraints.

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'Growth-enabling infrastructure:' Nanaimo considering long-term borrowing for sewer upgrades

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The estimated cost to upgrade five trunks identified as approaching an unacceptable level of risk is around $29.1 million.

Increased development and climate change-related heavy rain events are increasing the performance pressure on sewer pipes in these five areas, operating at full or beyond capacity over five years, according to the City. (Image Credit: City of Nanaimo)

The City currently spends between $5-8 million on renewing or upgrading pipes, $1.7 million on repairing issues detected, around $400,000 on cameras monitoring the system, and $175,000 to identify inflow and infiltration issues.

Members of the governance and priorities committee on Monday, June 15, unanimously recommended Council explore the long-term borrowing implications to upgrade sanitary sewer trunks nearing the end of their working life, and develop an enhanced inflow and infiltration reduction program.

Johnston said if the City commits to long-term borrowing to cover sewer capacity issues now and into the near future, it provides developers confidence knowing the system can handle the added capacity for their proposed projects.

“Bear in mind that the loading on these sewers is based on the provincial legislation of that one in five-year return period event. It’s a bit of a probability gain, and there’s only so much domestic loading that can happen within, say, 3-4 years, the timeframe where we can construct these sewers.”

Vice president of development with Seacliff Properties Georgia Desjardins spoke at the meeting, and said this is “an economic development issue, a housing supply issue, and an investment confidence issue.”

Seacliff Properties has been working on a transformative 2,200-home mixed-use development in south Nanaimo known as Sandstone for several years.

“It’s growth-enabling infrastructure. It’s every bit as important as roads, water systems, and transportation networks. Without adequate sewer capacity, development cannot occur regardless of zoning, policy support, or market demand.”

Desjardins said they were hoping the sewer upgrades would be completed prior to Sandstone moving forward, with subdivision applications received by the City for the long-envisioned project.

The recommendations will come before a future regular council meeting for consideration, with any future projects possibly subject to an alternative approval process or referendum if long-term borrowing is required, which also depends on the status of other large City projects.

Ongoing infrastructure upgrade projects include a four-year plan recently started along Nanaimo’s Hammond Bay Rd., and the Third St. Complete Street project, slated to be completed by this fall.

A photo detailing how sewer inflow and infiltration causes rain and groundwater to increase the sewer system capacity. (Image Credit: Kerr Wood Leidal Consulting Engingeers)

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