The City of Nanaimo and the Regional District of Nanaimo will host a pair of open houses before major wastewater infrastructure work begins on the Departure Bay pump station and forcemain expansion project.
A news release from the RDN said a traffic management plan is in development, and information will be available before work begins to help people plan around construction on Hammond Bay Road.
“The expansion project includes the renewal of the pump station at Departure Bay as well as the installation of four kilometres of new sewer forcemain along Hammond Bay Road,” the news release said. “The project is critical as this portion of the wastewater system is now over 50 years old, moves 75 per cent of the City of Nanaimo’s wastewater and is not keeping up with current or future needs.”
Crews will drill along the project route for preliminary ground testing in January, and the RDN said there will be single-lane alternating traffic for a week. The drilling is only preliminary work, and the regional district said the project is set to begin officially in the spring.
The first open house will be Jan. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hungarian Culture Society on Hammond Bay Road. The second will be Jan. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Departure Bay Elementary School.
The events will offer an opportunity for residents to ask questions and learn more about the project.
