The Nanaimo Pollution Control Centre outfall replacement project is coming along with over 1200 metres of the outfall pipe currently assembled. It will take a total of 2100 metres of new outfall pipe to replace the ageing metal pipe which has not lasted as long as originally thought.
The 54" (1400mm) high density polyethylene pipe was manufactured in 120' lengths and shipped via truck from the plant near Reno Nevada. All of the pipe required for the project is now on site at the construction site on the Nanoose Reserve.
The lengths of pipe are 'welded' on shore and floated in the Bay until the entire 2100 metres has been assembled. The pipe is filled with air and basically is one very long, very skinny 'boat'. The white objects you can see on the pipe in the above photo are cement collars which will serve to keep the pipe firmly planted on the sea floor once it has been set in place. Local precast company Nanaimo Precast got the contract to supply all of the collars which are provided in two sections and numbered to aid installation.
The contract was awarded to McNally International Inc. with head offices in Hamilton Ontario. The company has an extensive background in major civil engineering projects which included the Port Mann water supply tunnel. That project consisted of a 3.5m X 1000 m tunnel under the Fraser River.
When complete the 2 km assembly will be towed into place where it will be sunk into 70 m of water at Five Finger Islands at one end, connecting at the other end to the outfall pipe in Hammond Bay at Morningside.
The tentative date to install the new pipe is the end of June with the actual date being weather dependant as 2100 m of 1400 mm pipe creates quite a sail and one of our famous Nor'westers would make installation impossible. No wind and calm seas will be needed on the day of actual installation which is expected to take nearly one day to sink the entire length of pipe.
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