Via the Comox Valley Regional District:

Stage 4 water restrictions have been lifted for the Comox Valley Water System. Mandatory restrictions were in place from April 12 - 22 during an emergency repair of a leak in the main transmission pipe.

The community was placed on the highest level of water restrictions for the duration of the repair in order to maintain sufficient water flows for vital indoor and firefighting water needs. The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) would like to thank the community for doing their part to conserve water and ensure the system continued to be available for essential services.

“We know that these restrictions had a big impact on our community, especially local businesses,” said Marc Rutten, General Manager of Engineering Services. “Stage 4 is reserved for emergencies, and we really depended on the community to help out in this case. We really can’t thank residents and businesses enough for cutting back on water use for the duration of the repair.”

In order to isolate the leak, the system had to rely entirely on a single smaller pipe to supply water to the majority of the water system. CVRD staff worked intensively with consultants and stakeholders to plan and orchestrate a complex repair solution that required extensive and careful planning, design, and fabrication. The repair involved installing new valves on the water main to temporarily re-route the bulk of the water before sending a diver into the 900 mm steel pipe to patch the leak by welding from inside the water-filled pipe.

The whole repair team did a fantastic job,” said Mike Herschmiller, Manager of Water Services. “The leak was repaired on time, without compromising worker safety. Even though there was only one diver in the pipe at a time, their welding team was there guiding the diver, supporting them the whole time and ensuring the repairs went as safely and smoothly as possible.”

“Once the welding was complete, we took additional time to thoroughly inspect, flush, and disinfect the line. Samples were then taken and sent to the lab to ensure that the water was safe before putting the transmission main back in operation.”

To watch a video about the water main repair and learn more about the process, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/watermainrepair

The Comox Valley Regional District is a federation of three electoral areas and three municipalities providing sustainable services for residents and visitors to the area. The members of the regional district work collaboratively on services for the benefit of the diverse urban and rural areas of the Comox Valley.