Comox Valley Sewer Service Liquid Waste Management Plan

About the Comox Valley Sewer Service Liquid Waste Management Plan

The Comox Valley Sewer Service treats raw sewage (wastewater) from homes and businesses in Courtenay, Comox and K’ómoks First Nation. More than 14,000 cubic metres of wastewater from these communities flows daily through a pipe located along the Willemar Bluffs. This is an exposed section of beach that is vulnerable to damage by waves, rocks and logs and poses an environmental risk beaches and waters throughout the Comox Estuary, Point Holmes and Goose Spit coastline, as well as Baynes Sound.

The CVRD has been working on a long-term plan for the Comox Valley Sewer System with active community engagement since 2018. This Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP) will ensure that this system receives the upgrades it needs to operate safely and grow with our community.

Preferred Conveyance Option Selected

On February 23, 2021 the sewage commission approved a plan to upgrade the pipes and pump stations that move wastewater to the sewage treatment plant.  The preferred option (previously Option 2) will be constructed and funded in one phase and involves a combination of cut and cover construction (trenching) and directional drilling (a type of tunneling) from the Courtenay Pump Station to the Treatment Plant located on Brent Road.

A conceptual drawing of the preferred route is below. It includes tunneling under large hills and removing all foreshore sewage pipes as soon as possible. Key features of this selected option are:

• A mix of tunneled sections (under Comox Ave. and Lazo hills) with traditional ‘cut-and-cover’ trenched installation along Dyke Road and through the Town of Comox. The tunneling will minimize construction impact and operational pressure on the system, in order to reduce cost and risk over the life of the project.
• Work to be undertaken as one phase, to reduce operational risk by decommissioning aging infrastructure as soon as possible.

Final alignment will be determined during detailed design and will focus on minimizing costs and impacts on residents and businesses. Discussions are underway with the Town of Comox regarding the final route, infrastructure replacement standards and community impacts. The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) will also work with the K’ómoks First Nation to protect archaeologically sensitive areas during construction in an effort to preserve cultural heritage sites, ancestral burial places and artifacts.

How will it be funded?

The project is anticipated to cost $73 million with an estimated 80-year service life for the new pipe. The cost per household is estimated at $150/per year for 30 years. Funding will include approximately $21 million from reserves and $52 million in debt to ensure costs are spread out between current and future taxpayers over the 30-year term. Public approval for the borrowing will be sought through the CVRD’s annual Alternative Approval Process taking place from June 3 to July 5, 2021. An AAP is a cost effective and responsible way to seek voter approval for a critical infrastructure project that has undergone a thorough public consultation process.

For more information about the CVRD's Annual Approval Process, please watch our video or click the button below.

About the AAP

Who was consulted?

This decision was based on input from staff, technical experts, public and technical advisors. The Commission also considered input gathered as part of the public consultation on a shortlist of three options completed in fall 2020. A report summarizing that feedback is available below.

Read Report

The liquid waste management plan process is used by local governments in BC to develop strategies for managing sewer services. It includes the collection/review of existing information, development of options for future services, identification of a preferred option, completion of required studies and assessments and development of financial and implementation plans. The plan is ultimately submitted to the provincial government for review and consideration for approval.

Public Engagement has played an important role through the development of this plan. To see how input has been collected and used throughout this process visit our engagement portal.

Latest Milestones and Next Steps

• On December 8, 2020 the sewage commission selected a preferred treatment and resource recovery option. With the conveyance plan now approved, the draft LWMP can be completed and submitted to the province.
• On February 18, 2021 the CVRD and K’ómoks First Nation announced a sewer agreement that provides support for moving the Liquid Waste Management Plan forward.  Read the agreement here.
• On February 23, 2021 the Sewage Commission approves the preferred option for conveyance.
• On March 9, 2021, the Sewage Commission confirms funding approval for the project will be sought through the CVRD's annual Alternate Approval Process which runs from June 3 to July 5, 2021.  An AAP is a cost effective and responsible way to seek voter approval for a critical infrastructure project that has undergone a thorough public consultation process. 
• The conveyance route will now move into detailed design, which will determine the specifics of route alignment. Some changes from the conceptual maps shared with the public could be identified to minimize impacts to residents, businesses, archaeological sites, costs and efficiencies.
• The CVRD will continue dialogue with stakeholders, residents with properties located in potential right-of-ways, and homeowners with wells that should be included in our groundwater monitoring program.