Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Expansion Project

Upgrading Key Sewer Infrastructure

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), in partnership with the City of Nanaimo, is preparing to kick off construction on the Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Expansion Project – a project that is necessary to upgrade wastewater services to meet current and future needs.

About the Project

This key project includes a renewal of the pump station at Departure Bay Beach, as well as the installation of four kilometres of new sewer forcemain along Hammond Bay Road, from the pump station to the wastewater treatment plant on McGuffie Road.

The current infrastructure is over 50 years old and at the end of its life. Upgrading this portion of the wastewater system is critically important – it currently moves 75 per cent of the City of Nanaimo’s wastewater to the treatment facility.

Here's What You Need to Know

  • Construction on the project will last for four years and require single-lane traffic closures.
  • A traffic management plan is being developed now. We’ll update the community on plans in the coming months, before construction starts.
  • The City of Nanaimo is also updating underground services during construction and will look to complete some surface improvements on Hammond Bay Road to address safety concerns. Watch for more on this in January 2026.

Keeping you Informed

We understand this project will be disruptive and of high interest to many in the corridor and throughout the area. This page will be the primary source for updates and information will be shared proactively as details are confirmed.

We invite you to:

Upgrading Key Sewer Infrastructure

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), in partnership with the City of Nanaimo, is preparing to kick off construction on the Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Expansion Project – a project that is necessary to upgrade wastewater services to meet current and future needs.

About the Project

This key project includes a renewal of the pump station at Departure Bay Beach, as well as the installation of four kilometres of new sewer forcemain along Hammond Bay Road, from the pump station to the wastewater treatment plant on McGuffie Road.

The current infrastructure is over 50 years old and at the end of its life. Upgrading this portion of the wastewater system is critically important – it currently moves 75 per cent of the City of Nanaimo’s wastewater to the treatment facility.

Here's What You Need to Know

  • Construction on the project will last for four years and require single-lane traffic closures.
  • A traffic management plan is being developed now. We’ll update the community on plans in the coming months, before construction starts.
  • The City of Nanaimo is also updating underground services during construction and will look to complete some surface improvements on Hammond Bay Road to address safety concerns. Watch for more on this in January 2026.

Keeping you Informed

We understand this project will be disruptive and of high interest to many in the corridor and throughout the area. This page will be the primary source for updates and information will be shared proactively as details are confirmed.

We invite you to:

Questions? Ask them here

Have any questions about the Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Project? Share them here and the project team will get back to you!

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  • Can we please get a continuous sidewalk on one side of Hammond Bay Rd from end to end. Bikes can share it,with pedestrians having the right of way. No need for both. Adults ride with traffic and little people ride on the sidewalk.

    Grandma Sue asked 2 days ago

    Hello - The City of Nanaimo is looking for opportunities to improve pedestrian and cycling safety through the corridor, where possible, given limitations in the physical space and costs for improvements. Watch for more information later this month both here at the website, or join us at an open house Jan. 21 or 22!

  • Why is the city failing to coordinate this work with the Hammond Bay multi-use transportation corridor upgrade which everyone knows is also coming? Does the city think nothing of wasting taxpayer money tearing up this same road three times in a decade? This work should not proceed until a complete final design for that project is in the books. Even if you don't implement the entire revitalization solution through this project, you could then at least prepare for it with intent to minimize repeating roadway reconstruction work. You shouldn't be just saying "we're going to engage with the community now and see what we can do later", you should be presenting the entire plan done and ready to go, then engage on THAT, before roadwork begins.

    Greg P asked 3 days ago

    Hello Greg - As a partner in the project, the City is coordinating the Hammond Bay surface improvements and underground utilities upgrades work to be completed together with the Departure Bay forcemain. The underground utilities work is fully planned as the more-timely task to be completed during excavations. Because the project will be multiple years, there is time for further engagement, analysis and design on the surface works to come. There are limitations to what can be delivered for surface improvements given physical constraints and limited financial resources, however the City is working to deliver improvements where possible, together with the sewer expansion project. 

  • This section of roadway was just torn up to perform piping work along the exact same corridor two years ago. Why was this work not coordinated with that to reduce the cost to taxpayers and reduce the disruption to local residents?

    Greg P asked 3 days ago

    Hello Greg - a few years ago there was a need to complete urgent repairs to a section of the forcemain due to an unexpected failure that had to be addressed with short notice. This project addresses insufficient pumping capacity by adding a second forcemain and revitalizing the existing infrastructure to prevent further failures. The existing infrastructure is beyond its expected lifespan, and the Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Expansion Project will be the comprehensive upgrade required for the 50 years ahead.


  • Good Morning can you advise what areas will be contributing to the $164million cost and the respective percentages. The news article has been interpreted that Nanaimo is paying $19million (I have learned is for their own upgrades for other services that will be done during the project) which is far from their 75% of usage. Thank you

    madronarudi asked 3 days ago

    The RDN’s cost for the Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Expansion project is borne by the Southern Community Sewer Service participants by flow, with approximately 98% attributable to the City of Nanaimo and 2% attributable to the District of Lantzville. The City of Nanaimo is contributing $19 million to upgrade aging City owned infrastructure in close proximity to the RDN forcemain works. These upgrades will be conducted at the same time to minimize long term public impact and reduce construction costs.

  • As you tear up the road for sewer, it is a perfect opportunity to put in a bike lane - has any consideration been given to doing that? Especially important for safety for cyclists along Hammond Bay

    Bonita Douglas asked 4 days ago

    Hello Bonita - The City of Nanaimo is looking for opportunities to improve pedestrian and cycling safety through the corridor, where possible, given limitations in the physical space and costs for improvements. Watch for more information to be shared with our open houses later this month (Jan 2026) - we'll also post the info here to this page for those unable to attend in person.

  • I would like to reiterate what Bob has said about improvements to the Hammond Bay corridor. I attended a city-wide neighbourhood association meeting last night with city counsellor members including Mayor Krog. It was indicated that only $1 million has been allocated to rebuild Hammond Bay Rd, which would mean no road improvements (sidewalks, bike lanes, etc). Hammond Bay Road is the only east-west arterial route connecting several northern neighborhoods, including Linley Valley, Stephenson Point, Pipers Lagoon, Dover Bay, and Rocky Point. It also provides essential access to two of Nanaimo’s most beloved waterfront parks: Neck Point Park and Pipers Lagoon Park. Despite its importance, the road lacks continuous sidewalks, offers no protected infrastructure for cyclists, and presents daily safety risks for pedestrians, drivers, and children traveling to schools or recreational areas. In addition to the safety concerns for residents, the lack of investment in active transportation infrastructure represents a missed opportunity for quality of life improvements. A continuous, scenic bike lane between Departure Bay and Neck Point and Pipers Lagoon would offer a world-class cycling experience for both residents and visitors, linking beaches, parks, and neighborhoods through one of the most beautiful coastal routes in the city. With the right infrastructure, Hammond Bay Road could become a key feature in promoting active transportation, local business, healthy lifestyles, and decreased reliance on vehicle transporation. I recognize and support the City's ongoing efforts to invest in historically underserved and higher-density areas, particularly in the south end. However, the absence of alternative routes into and out of these northern neighborhoods makes Hammond Bay Road a uniquely vital transportation link. The growing volume of commuters, school traffic, and residential development calls for a future-focused approach—not merely a restoration to the current inadequate conditions. I urge you to reconsider the scope of the planned investment. I also encourage the City to pursue available provincial and federal infrastructure and active transportation grants that could help fund meaningful improvements. Hammond Bay Road deserves continuous sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and safe crossings—not another generation of temporary or patchwork solutions.

    Karolien asked 8 months ago

    Hello – thank you for your comment. We understand that there is a desire to see improvements throughout the corridor and the project team is still looking at what options, or degree of upgrade, is feasible given resources and physical constraints of the area. The City plans to engage with residents and associations in the fall with more information and to collect feedback that will help inform decisions ahead. We look forward to talking with the community about this more.

  • As the Hammond Bay corridor is a very busy narrow road from Departure Bay to McDuffie; I would like to know if the city would please include proper sidewalks and bike lanes with the water main upgrades? I live in the area and it is very unsafe to ride & walk in this area. We definitely like to improves for the area to become more pedestrian friendly. Thank you!

    Bob & Gayle asked 12 months ago

    Hello Bob & Gayle – thank you for the question and feedback. The project is currently in the preliminary design stage. The City of Nanaimo may be looking at other potential improvements through the corridor as plans progress. We’ll work with the City of Nanaimo to share updates about plans as they’re developed. 

Page last updated: 05 Jan 2026, 02:51 PM