Construction on the much-anticipated expansion to Quadra Island’s sewer system is expected to begin within a few weeks.
Work will commence in April and is slated to run through to the end of September.
The Strathcona Regional District says the contractor, Campbell River-based Berry & Vale Contracting Ltd., will work with Quadra residents to accommodate any access issues or concerns and will attempt to notify affected properties in advance.
Traffic controllers will be in place to guide vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in and around any work zones.
Residents in the project area can expect to receive updates directly from the regional district which will also post notices to the project web page (strathconard.ca/quathiaski-cove-sewer-extension-project).
The sewer extension project will connect 43 new properties in Quathiaski Cove to Quadra Island’s existing sewer system.
Quadra Director Jim Abram is thrilled the project, which has been on the regional district’s radar for several years, is finally coming to fruition.
“What can I say but ‘wahoo.’ We’ve finally done it,” Abram said at a recent regional district board meeting. “We’re going to actually extend the sewer service.”
The project was awarded to Berry & Vale, for $727,466, by the regional district board earlier this month and involves the installation of roughly 1,265 metres of gravity sewer pipe, 638 m of force main, service connections, pavement restorations, a gravel path and fence.
Abram acknowledged that the project has been “a long time coming and there have been a lot of setbacks” since the expansion was first approved by affected property owners through a referendum in July, 2014.
The project was put on hold after the regional district put the project out to tender and bids all came back that exceeded the regional district’s budget.
The expansion was given new life, though, last fall when the Strathcona Regional District was announced as an inaugural recipient of the new Clean Water and Wastewater Fund, a joint grant between the federal and provincial governments in which the federal government is providing one-half of the project costs ($684,425), while the province is chipping in one-third ($451,720), leaving the local government to make up the remainder ($232,705) through the Area C Community Works Fund.
Property owners joining on to the system will also contribute to the sewer costs. Abram has said previously that adding these extra properties on to the system will lower the cost for all Quadra Islanders who are on the sewer system.
