An ongoing Metro Vancouver water supply tunnel project crossing the borders between Burnaby and the District of North Vancouver has won an award from the Tunnelling Association of Canada.
The Second Narrows Water Supply Tunnel has been selected for this year’s Canadian Project of the Year Under $300 Million Award, an annual honour presented to a team that has significantly contributed to a project in Canada, demonstrating high levels of engineering skills and understanding of underground construction.
“I’m so proud that this major drinking-water infrastructure project, which will help us keep delivering water even after earthquakes, is being celebrated,” said Metro Vancouver board of directors chairman Mike Hurley in a press release.
The water supply tunnel project is being built 30 metres below the bottom of the Burrard Inlet, east of the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, the press release said. The tunnel will replace three existing water mains created between the 1940s and 1970s that are vulnerable to earthquake damage and are reaching the end of their lifespan.
After the tunnel is built, it will connect to the existing drinking water system.
But it’s not just Metro Vancouver working on the project – other partners include Delve Underground, Traylor Aecon General Partnership, AECOM, WSP/Golder, Mott MacDonald, Malcolm Drilling and Herrenknecht AG.
This project is just one of the regional water supply tunnels that are being designed to ensure reliable drinking water in the region in the event of a major earthquake, the press release said.
“The Second Narrows Water Supply Tunnel is one of the largest tunnels ever built by Metro Vancouver,” said Malcolm Brodie, chairman of Metro Vancouver’s Water Committee. “These kinds of water-supply projects are extremely complex, yet so important to our health and well-being. It’s an honour to see this one recognized for its exceptional quality.”
Construction began in 2019 and is expected to be mostly complete by the end of this year, the press release said. The three new water mains will be tied into the drinking water system over the next few winters and expected to be in service by 2028.
Metro Vancouver manages three water supply areas – Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam – supplying 2.8 million residents with clean drinking water.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
