The Hastings Sunrise Sewer Renewal and Green Rainwater Infrastructure project will help meet Vancouver’s regulatory requirement to eliminate combined sewer overflows by 2050. It will also help unlock development potential by adapting the neighbourhood sewer and drainage systems for pressures from growth and heavier rainfall expected with climate change.
This project is in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia and has received grant funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
What's happeningPhase 2 begins mid-March
Phase 1 green infrastructure works are under construction and planned to complete spring or summer 2023.
Phase 2 construction work will begin in mid-March 2023. To allow work to be completed safely, one lane in each direction will be closed to traffic along East 1st Ave from east of Windermere to Lillooet St.
Walking and cycling access will be retained where possible and detours will be in place. Please watch for signage as access points may change.
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) explained
Some parts of Vancouver use a combined pipe system that carries sewage and excess rainfall in the same pipe.
During heavy rains, these pipes can become overwhelmed resulting in combined volumes of rainwater and sewage spilling into receiving waters like Burrard Inlet. These overflows reduce water quality and contribute to swim advisories on beaches.
This project will help reduce contributions to overflows at the Cassiar outfall, Vancouver’s second-highest CSO location.
Project outcomes
- Renew 4.5 kilometers of combined sewers with separated sewers that increase the capacity for heavier rainfall and eliminate CSOs by conveying rainfall and sewage through separate pipes
- Install 15 new green rainwater infrastructure features that use plants, trees, and soil to absorb and filter pollutants from rainwater, as well as 29 dry wells, all of which will assist with reducing the volume that enters our sewage pipes, and protecting water quality in nearby waterways
- Reduce infrastructure management costs by using green rainwater infrastructure which is typically cheaper to implement and maintain than grey infrastructure like pipes
- Protect public and environmental health by reducing the contribution of CSOs to the Cassiar outfall, Vancouver's second-highest CSO location
- Increase pedestrian safety with road improvements in areas adjacent to wək̓ʷan̓əs tə syaqʷəm Elementary School (previously Sir Matthew Begbie) in Phase 1, and adjacent to Sunrise Park in Phase 3
Project features
- Sewer renewal to adapt the neighbourhood drainage system for growth needs and heavier rainfall from climate change
- Green rainwater curb bulges that combine traffic calming measures and add green space
- Dry wells to collect and disperse unwanted water from rainstorms and runoff and allow it to slowly seep into the ground
- Curb bulges to narrow curbs at intersections encouraging vehicles to slow down and reducing crossing distance for pedestrians
Project location
This is a three-phased project that will span different neighbourhoods with different traffic impacts for each phase. Watch for local signage and notification letters to learn about how each phase may affect you.
How this project may affect you
Information icon Phase 3 impacts will be updated closer to construction start.
Timeline
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January to spring 2023
Phase 1
- Complete green rainwater infrastructure work
March to fall 2023
Phase 2
- Temporary paving of median on East 1st Ave
- Complete sewer renewal on Windermere St across East 1st Ave
- Remove temporary paving and replant median on East 1st Ave
Winter 2023 to early 2026
Phase 3
Contact us
This project is supported through a bilateral federal and provincial grant of $15 million through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
