Two people walk the Second Beach seawall with a small dog during king tides

Healthy Waters Plan

Adapting and integrating sewage and rainwater management in Vancouver

In alignment with the Vancouver Plan’s Policy Area 10: Watersheds and Water Resources, we are creating a long-range sewage and rainwater management plan to address a range of key issues, including:

Pollution from combined sewer overflows (CSOs), which occur when combined sewers are over capacity causing a mixture of rainwater and sewage to release into Burrard Inlet and other water bodies. Many pipe systems in Vancouver still transport rainwater and sewage in the same pipe.
The need for increased sewer capacity to accommodate population growth and development. Sewage includes all water that goes down the drain from household, industrial, and commercial activities.
Pollution from rain that lands on streets and other hard surfaces, picking up dust from vehicle tires and brakes, and other pollutants. This is also known as urban rainwater runoff.
Climate change impacts on our sewage and rainwater system, including more frequent and intense rain events, prolonged drought, and sea level rise
Aging infrastructure in need of repair or replacement

Partners

We work with Metro Vancouver to deliver sewage and drainage services to Vancouver residents and businesses. We manage local grey infrastructure, like pipes, that help manage sewage and rainwater. We also implement green rainwater infrastructure, which uses plants, trees, and soil to naturally manage rainwater.

Metro Vancouver manages the major regional conveyance pipes and wastewater conveyance treatment.

We are also collaborating with Musqueam Indian Band, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and a diverse range of stakeholders from other levels of government and the community.

Guiding principles and goal areas

The first phase of engagement led to the development of guiding principles, goal areas, and objectives. These will be used to guide development and implementation of the Healthy Waters Plan going forward.

Guiding principles

Guiding principle	Definition
Reconciliation	Recognize and uphold Indigenous rights in all phases of the process Integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge into stewardship and management practices
Resilience	Adapt to new information and understanding Promote strategies that provide multiple benefits Promote adaptable strategies to manage uncertainties
Collaboration	Align with parallel plans, policies and projects Be transparent and accountable in decision-making Engage and collaborate fully with partners and stakeholders
Stewardship	Cultivate a culture of care around water and the sewage and drainage system Promote a holistic one water approach where ecological and human systems are recognized with equal importance
Equity	Intersectionality embedded in decision-making Interventions prioritize those disproportionately impacted

Goals

Goal area	Objectives
Healthy waterways	Work towards elimination of pollution of waterways due to combined sewer overflows Work towards elimination of pollution of waterways due to sanitary sewer overflows Reduce the pollution of waterways due to urban runoff Minimize rainwater and groundwater conveyed to Metro Vancouver wastewater treatment plants Reduce improper discharges into the sewage and drainage system
Healthy and liveable watersheds	Increase the retention and infiltration of rainwater into the ground Increase the number of naturalized areas within the rainwater management system Reduce the impact of drought on street trees and other natural assets Increase the connectivity of naturalized areas and green rainwater infrastructure
Adapt to risk and uncertainty	Minimize sewer backup risk to people, critical infrastructure, and property Minimize overland flooding risk to people, critical infrastructure, and property Minimize flooding risk due to sea level rise, storm surges and king tides disrupting drainage services Minimize seismic risk to sewage and drainage services Minimize system capacity risk due to growth, development and climate change
Affordable and optimal service delivery	Minimize the cost of public infrastructure to taxpayers and ratepayers Minimize the cost of private infrastructure to property owners and development Maximize the equity of cost distribution Maximize the adaptability of investments to manage future uncertainties

Timeline

April 2021 to December 2022

Current state assessment and strategic framework
December 2022 to February 2024

Pathway development
We are here
February 2024 to spring 2025

Finalize the adaptive plan
2025

Project complete

What we've learned so far

The Foundations of a Healthy Waters Plan (14 MB) report summarizes the work completed in the first of a 3-phase planning effort to re-envision our sewage and rainwater management systems.

The Healthy Waters Plan is organized around the City's five main drainage basins and their associated receiving waters. The basin characterization maps (8 MB) summarize information specific to the lands and receiving waters for each of these basins. Receiving waters are waterbodies such as the ocean and creeks into which upstream waters flow. Upstream waters can be rainwater and groundwater, or water collected in sewer pipes.

Contact us

Email: healthywatersplan
@vancouver.ca