Water and Sewer main-line construction
As
part of our ongoing commitment to supply high quality drinking water
to residents and to effectively receive wastewaters drainage, the City
undergoes a continuous water and sewer main replacement program. The
life expectancy of an underground sewer and watermain is 100 years and
spreading the work over a number of years helps us to avoid costly mega-projects.
If upcoming construction is scheduled in your neighborhood, you will receive a letter outlining the project schedule and other details.
In the meantime, here's some background information about our water and sewer system and why we need to do this work.
The water system
Your drinking water comes from Seymour, Capilano and Coquitlam lakes, which are managed by the Metro Vancouver. The City purchases water from the Metro Vancouver and operates the water distribution system that delivers water to every tap and fire hydrant in Vancouver, which includes over 1,450 km of main pipes and over 105,000 water service connections.
The sewer system
Wastewater and drainage flows from sinks, toilets, drains, downspouts, and appliances from your home and travels by gravity through a network of collection pipes. At some point, these pipes empty into a much larger diameter sewer referred to as a trunk sewer which is operated by the Metro Vancouver.Once in the trunk sewer, the flow eventually reaches a sewage treatment facility – most of Vancouver’s flow is treated at Iona Island located near Vancouver International Airport. Overall, the City operates and maintains 1,900 km of sewer mains – enough pipe, if laid out consecutively, to reach Winnipeg.
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Why is this work necessary?
Underground pipes deteriorate over time - mostly from soil conditions and aging. Pipes can break if they're not replaced, which could result in property damage and service disruptions. That's why we replace about 12 km of water main and over 20 km of sewer main, as well as install hundreds of metres of new service connections, numerous fire hydrants and catch-basins every year. For a list of proposed water and sewer construction projects as well as other infrastructure upgrades, visit our Road Ahead page.
What happens when construction starts?
Stage 1: For water & sewer pipes: Crews dig a trench for the water or sewer main and install the new pipe. You'll notice lots of activity and equipment on the road. Parking restrictions will be in place to allow for digging and movement of supplies and equipment. Crews typically begin work at 7:00 a.m. and work until 3:30 p.m. Sometimes weekend work is scheduled if project time-lines or traffic volumes require it.
Stage 2: For water pipes only: The new pipe is pressure-tested and disinfected after installation. There may be periods of inactivity on the road while the pipes are tested. When the new pipe is ready, it will be connected to the water system and adjacent properties. Your water service may be disrupted during this stage (typically about 20 minutes), but we'll provide advanced notification unless an emergency shutdown is required. Parking restrictions remain in effect in case crews need to access the site during testing.
Stage 3: Water & sewer pipes: When the underground work is complete, the street, boulevard, and sidewalks will be restored. This work may take place some time after the trench is filled and temporarily patched. Why the delay? We generally wait until there are several sites requiring restoration in one area before sending crews back to do the work. This helps to reduce costs and maximize efficiency. Weather is also a factor: we avoid planting boulevards with grass sod or seed during the dry, hot summer months.
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How do I know whether water or sewers are being replaced?
There are two major differences to distinguish if water or sewer main construction is occurring in your neighbourhood. Depth of trench and pipe material will identify what type of main replacement is being completed. Water pipes are typically black in colour and are composed of ductile iron. The depth of trench where these pipes will be installed is between 1 to 1.5 metres below the ground with only one pipe being renewed.
When sewers are being reconstructed, two pipes are replaced as a means of separating storm-water from sanitary flow. Pipes typically consist of clay, plastic or concrete depending on design requirements and will be installed from 2.4 to 4 metres below the ground. Sewer workers often work with shoring cages to protect themselves from ditch cave-ins.
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Who's who on the job site?
Our construction crews typically consist of several members, each performing a different duty.
- Subforeman: responsible for supervising the crew and constructing the mains as designed
- Pipe Layer: responsible for positioning the water or sewer mains in the designed location
- Padman: designated to help the backhoe operator by guiding the shovel around crossing and parallel utilities
- Operator: operates the backhoe
- Labourers: responsible for general construction tasks, as directed by the foreman
- Design staff: responsible for investigating construction issues, which may require modification to the water or sewer main design
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What's next?
If you have experienced construction recently in your neighbourhood, please fill in our survey to let us know how we did. You can access our construction form below.
- Download the Construction Survey Form now! (PDF, 85KB)
If you have any questions about the work in your area, please feel free to speak with the working foreman.
Alternately, please contact:
Michael Irvine, Waterworks Design Branch at 604.871.6603 or michael.irvine@vancouver.ca.
Gregg Lowes, Sewer Operations Branch at 604.326.4687 or gregg.lowes@vancouver.ca
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