The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) has successfully acquired all necessary water licenses and land use agreements for its new water project, which sets a clear path for construction to start on schedule this year.
“These approvals and agreements are welcome news and mark the completion of critical steps for this important project and we encourage residents to track our project progress online,” said David Frisch, chair of the Comox Valley Water Committee. “With full project funding secured, important land acquisitions and agreements concluded, and water licenses in hand, construction can get underway once the design-build team is selected.”
The CVRD’s water license application was approved by the province in British Columbia this spring, after receipt of an Environmental Assessment Office Exemption Certificate for the project. The CVRD now holds water licenses for the new water treatment infrastructure, as well as enough additional water to serve the community for 25 years.
Land use/right of way agreements are now in place with all land owners impacted by project infrastructure. Over the coming months, final land transfers will be completed and statutory rights of way will be registered as required.
The three pre-qualified, design-build proponents will submit final proposals later this month. The project team has been working with the design-build teams to ensure proposals are compliant and provide the best value to the regional district. The CVRD expects to award contract to the successful team in July 2019. The construction schedule will be confirmed shortly afterwards.
Scheduled to be operational in 2021, at an estimated cost of $110 million, the new water treatment system will meet current health standards and eliminate turbidity related boil water notices. It will also deliver safe, high quality drinking water to Comox Valley residents for decades to come. The project is funded through a combination of grants from federal and provincial governments, reserve funds, and borrowing.
Quarterly progress updates on the CVRD’s new Water Treatment Project Update are available online at comoxvalleyrd.ca/watertreatment
