FAQs

The Departure Bay Forcemain was constructed in 1974 to transport wastewater from the Departure Bay Pump Station to the Greater Nanaimo Pollution Control Centre. It carries wastewater from over half of the population in Nanaimo and is the largest of all forcemains operated by the RDN. 

The forcemain and pump station need to be upgraded to accommodate current flows during storms, and future growth. 

To upgrade this infrastructure:

• The Departure Bay Pump Station (next to Departure Bay Beach, near the intersection of Hammond Bay and Departure Bay roads), will undergo a major upgrade;
• A new forcemain will be installed along Hammond Bay Road from the pump station to the Greater Nanaimo Pollution Control Centre (wastewater treatment facility) at McGuffie Road.

Construction on the road is expected to begin in spring 2026 and continue until 2030

To install the new forcemain along Hammond Bay Road, several options are being evaluated and analyzed extensively to minimize wait times and impact to residents. The traffic management plan is still being developed.

We understand many people will be eager for further information on construction impacts. The project team is committed to sharing more details as soon as possible.

To get weekly updates on traffic impacts along Hammond Bay Road, subscribe to the City of Nanaimo’s weekly e-newsletter, which includes traffic updates.

Yes - developing a traffic management plan begins with understanding how an area is currently used and then modelling the impacts of different management approaches (ie: single lane alternating traffic, detour routes or other). As part of that process, there are discussions with School District 68 (including direct discussions with Departure Bay Elementary and Ecole Hammond Bay)  and BC Transit. The project team has also been in discussions with Emergency Services have been part of the conversation as well with Nanaimo Fire Rescue, BC Ambulance and RCMP in discussions with the project team to ensure that emergency response is prioritized. While we know that construction will be disruptive, the goal is to find a traffic management solution that considers these key interested parties and reduces the impact as much as possible.

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 in January 2026.

Access will be maintained to all parks and public areas – though routes to and travel times may change over the course of the construction period. Watch here for updates.

This webpage will be the primary hub for updates – subscribe to follow along and get the latest updates to your inbox. We’ll also be updating the community using newsletters, social media, advertising, signage and more.