The Regional District of Nanaimo has allotted over $6 million for a new pump station to handle increasing demand in and around Parksville. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Capital project

RDN to spend $6.4M upgrading Parksville sewage infrastructure

May 28, 2021 | 5:36 AM

PARKSVILLE — Increased capacity and addressing flood concerns are two key reasons for an expansive upgrade to Parksville’s sewage system.

The Regional District of Nanaimo board approved a $6.4 million construction contract to upgrade the Bay Ave. Pump Station in Parksville.

Sean De Pol, manager of water and wastewater services with the RDN, said the upgrade will lay solid groundwork for further expansion.

“This project will take us 10-15 years into the future, but will allow us to insert another pump and some electrical control panels that will then take us out another 15 years,” he said.

Project advantages include maintenance without specialized equipment and an elevated pump station deck to combat flood risks as sea levels rise, De Pol said.

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An RDN staff report cited a lack of contractor availability and rising construction material costs as notable pressures for the final price tag of the project.

It was originally anticipated to cost $3.4 million in 2019, and was previously approved at slightly over $5 million.

The project is funded through general reserves and development cost charges.

The pump station sends roughly 85 per cent of Parksville’s wastewater to the French Creek Pollution Control Centre, where it receives secondary treatment and is sent into the ocean.

The pollution control centre is expected to be upgraded itself in coming years.

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