2025 Top 50 Water Projects Report - Report - Page 37
TOP 50 WATER PROJECTS 2025
DRINKING WATER
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2024 Rank: 32
Location: Heron Bay, Ont.
Owner: Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First
Nation (ON)
Substantial Completion: TBD
Biigtigong Nishnaabeg First Nation New WWTP
$58 million
THIS PROJECT involves constructing a
new raw water intake and treatment plant
to provide a safe and reliable source of
potable water for Biigtigong Nishnaabeg.
Developed in partnership with Indigenous
Services Canada, the new facility will supply
clean drinking water to over 168 homes
and various non-residential buildings,
including the administration o昀케ce, schools,
teacherages, health centre, community
centre, and daycare. This initiative will help
meet the community’s current and future
water needs. •
STORMWATER
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2024 Rank: 33
Location: Gatineau, PQ
Owner: City of Gatineau
Substantial Completion: TBD
Wabassee Creek Watershed
$56.2 million
GATINEAU’S WABASSEE STREAM watershed covers approximately
seven square kilometres and 昀氀ows into the Ottawa River through
its outlet in Sanscartier Park. The City of Gatineau has launched an
infrastructure program aimed at improving rainwater management
and enhancing the watershed’s resilience to better adapt to climate
change. The program includes more than 10 intervention zones
throughout the watershed.
The Government of Canada has granted approval in principle
to fund 40 per cent of eligible project costs through the Disaster
Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. At the time of the funding request,
the program’s estimated cost was $56.275 million. •
DRINKING WATER
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Nanaimo Midtown Water Main
$55 million
IN THE early 1980s, a major watermain was installed
in Nanaimo using high pressure concrete pipe
(Hyprescon) that was expected to have a lifespan
of approximately 80 years, yet it failed prematurely,
and it failed catastrophically. When the Hyprescon
pipe failed on April 3, 2020, 22 million litres of water
was lost. This resulted in three reservoirs being
completely drained while leaving a hospital as well
as thousands of people without water. It took a few
hours to isolate the main, but a temporary repair was
completed, and the hospital and residents had water
service restored two days later.
A systematic review of the pipe revealed other
signs of future leaks and structural failures, and the
consequences of additional failures would be severe.
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
2024 Rank: 34
Location: Nanaimo, B.C.
Owner: City of Nanaimo
Substantial Completion: 2025
To manage the risk, several measures were taken:
An emergency water supply shutdown procedure
for the Hyprescon pipe section was implemented;
The 2021-2025 Capital Plan was reprioritized, and
the Midtown Water Supply Project was introduced;
Other major water supply capital projects were
deferred in an e昀昀ort to make way for the Midtown
Water Supply Project and balance the water supply
budget within the City’s Financial Plan.
The initial upgrades to replace the Hyprescon
pipe were estimated to cost $23.5 million, however, due to a volatile construction market during
COVID, and the addition of a secondary supply for
redundancy, the cost is expected to be closer to $55
million. •
WATER C AN ADA’S TOP 50 WATER PRO JEC T S
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