Well Drilling Update - December 2025

Thank you for your cooperation over the summer and fall months while we completed the well drilling and testing phase of the project.

Work Completed

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) has completed the well drilling, development, pump testing and water quality testing of five new wells. This includes PW09, an extra well drilled in addition to the four initial wells planned in this project. The well locations are shown on the map below.

The long-term continuous and sustainable pumping rates (safe yields) at low ground water level conditions and the safe yields at intermittent or high groundwater conditions are given in the table below.

Well #

Well Location

Safe pump yield at low groundwater level conditions (i.e. summer)(USGPM)

Safe pump yield at high groundwater level conditions (i.e. winter) (USGPM)

PW05

2325 Peterson Rd

4

8

PW06

2300 Kaye Rd

35

48

PW07

880 River’s Edge Dr

8

17

PW08

Stormwater Community Park

N/A

N/A

PW09

2260 Peterson Rd

30

55


Well # PW08, located in the Stormwater Community Park near Honey Wulff Close, was pump tested at 7.5 USGPM. Although the well was able to sustainably produce water, the aquifer at this location was found to have a significant hydraulic connection between the lower and middle aquifer. Since this project is intended to minimize chloride intrusion from the lower aquifer into the middle aquifer, and pumping this well (PW08) would be counterproductive to that objective, it was decided not to bring PW08 into operation.

Chloride concentrations in all of the RDN’s River’s Edge production wells were checked at different pumping durations to gain an in-depth understanding of the hydraulic connections between the middle aquifer and lower aquifer at each well location, and to determine whether short vs. long pumping durations would trigger a significant rise in chloride levels. A summary of chloride concentrations is given in the table below.

* The taste threshold for chloride in drinking water is 250 mg/L, for plant health it’s 100 mg/L, and the indicator of saltwater intrusion potential is 150 mg/L.


Next Steps

The Project Hydrogeologist is currently analyzing the data to determine whether connecting each new well to the River’s Edge water system will meet the overall project objective of minimizing chloride intrusion. He will also recommend a safe, sustainable operating schedule for the wells. The final hydrogeological report will be completed in March 2026 and the RDN will include this report in an application to Island Health for source approval of the new wells. Once the source approval has been received, the RDN will issue a competitive tender for construction of the watermains, power, and control works that would bring the new wells into operation. While waiting for the source approval, the RDN has retained MPE Engineering to undertake the survey, design work, tender specifications, and permit applications. MPE will also provide construction supervision once construction begins.

Anticipated Project Timeline

  • Surveying and pump design – December 2025 to February 2026
  • Completion of hydrogeological analyses and reporting – February/March 2026
  • Completion of design and tender specifications for watermains and power/control infrastructure – March/April 2026
  • Confirmation of Island Health source approval – April/May 2026
  • Construction permits received from Island Health and Ministry of Transportation and Transit – May 2026
  • Tender invitation – May/June 2026
  • Construction begins – August 2026
  • Construction is complete – March 2027
  • Property owners indicate their intended debt repayment option to RDN (as one lump sum or tax amortization of project costs) – June/July 2027
  • Project is closed – September 2027