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.
  • Several traffic management options are being evaluated to minimize wait times and impact to residents.
  • 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.
  • Several traffic management options are being evaluated to minimize wait times and impact to residents.
  • 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:


  • Feedback Form: Departure Bay Forcemain and Pump Station Project

    The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) and City of Nanaimo are preparing to kick off construction of the Departure Bay Pump Station and Forcemain Project – a project that is necessary to upgrade wastewater services to meet current and future needs. As part of this project, the City of Nanaimo is also looking to complete some surface improvements along Hammond Bay Road.

     

    The project team is committed to keeping the community informed about this significant work, and reducing disruption where it’s possible to do so. 

    You can help us by completing this survey, which will help inform the project team about preferences or localized information we should be aware of.

    Let’s Get Started!

    Your participation in this feedback form is voluntary. If you decide to participate in this survey, you may withdraw at any time.

    The personal information you provide is collected by the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) under sections 26(c) and 26(e) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) for the purposes of engaging and consulting with the public. The RDN is using a Bang the Table engagement platform that stores the information in Canada. However, Bang the Table staff are located in the US and may access your user profile information to provide assistance at your request. 

    Some of the questions allow for responses using open-text fields. To protect your privacy and the privacy of others, please do not include any information that could identify you or another person. Identifying information could include a person’s name, address, email or phone number. Any personal information that is inadvertently included in the open-text responses will be deleted once the results of the survey are compiled.

    If you have any questions about the initiative, please contact Chris Mathie at cmathie@rdn.bc.ca or by calling 250-390-5689.

    If you have any questions about the collection of your personal information, please contact the Privacy Officer at PrivacyOffice@rdn.bc.ca or call 250-390-4111.

    Take Survey
Page last updated: 28 Jan 2026, 03:46 PM