New water treatment plant nears completion
By Melanie Franner
W
hat began with a Water Definition Study in 2015 by the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) is fast becoming a reality in 2021. Despite a few challenges along the way, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the new $126-million Comox Valley Water Treatment Project remains on schedule for completion in summer 2021. “We are well advanced in construction now,” says Charlie Gore, manager of capital projects, water and wastewater, CVRD. “We are about 75 per cent completed, and we are going to start commissioning activities in early 2021.” Safe and secure
The water treatment project will be a game changer for the Comox Valley region. It will eliminate the need for turbidity-related boil-water notices, remove the risk of viruses and bacteria in the drinking water, and provide a secure supply of reliable, high-quality drinking water for decades to come. “Initial plant capacity is sized for approximately 15 to 20 years of community 48 Vancouver Island Construction Association
growth,” says Gore. “But is has been designed with expansion in mind, for approximately 80 years of growth.” Central to the undertaking is the CVRD’s milestone partnership with the K’omoks First Nation. “The partnership with the K’omoks First Nation is a cornerstone of the project,” says Gore, who adds that they have been instrumental in the effort to obtain permits and grant funding throughout the project. Design-build the method of choice
CVRD is working with Aecon Group Inc. on the design-build of the treatment plant project. As such, the contractor’s scope of work includes both the design (subcontracted to Stantec) and construction of the project, including the marine pipeline and intake, raw water pump station and transmission main, water treatment plant, and the treated water transmission main. “One of the more interesting aspects about this project is the number of stakeholders involved,” says Jamie Abernethy, project director, water infrastructure, Aecon. “The project itself spans over 10 kilo-
metres. It involves different property lines and different contracts, which translates into having to manage a number of relationships.” To date, Abernethy and his team have overseen the following construction achievements: • 8 ,000 m3 of concrete poured • 1 ,300,000 kg of rebar installed • 2 .7 km of 42” pipe diameter HDPE • 3 .8 km of 42” diameter carbon steel • 2 6,000 diameter inches welded • 1 25 m of 60” diameter carbon steel micro tunnelled (marine pipeline) • 6 0,000 m3 of material excavated Other milestone achievements that occurred in 2020 include micro-tunnelling for the marine intake, completion of the raw water transmission main, completion of cell 1 (Clearwell), completion of the process area structural, completion of Island Highway Crossing, and completion of Marsden Fibre Conduit Install (2.5 km). “The biggest milestone moment will be the 30-day performance test at the end of the project,” says Abernethy. “That’s the real moment of success.” Hazelwood Construction Services Inc.,
