RESCU PROGRAM: Gravity Pipeline Project

SVCW’s path breaking Gravity Pipeline (GP) project is nearing final completion. SVCW’s contractor partner for the project, Bernard Bessac Joint Venture (BBJV), completed construction of the 3.3-mile gravity tunnel, which will become the main link in SVCW’s new wastewater conveyance system to carry raw wastewater from the pump stations to the Headworks facility. The tunnel was mined in two phases by ‘Salus’, the tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the project. The first phase, known as Tunnel Drive 1 (TD1), was completed in March 2020, and included tunneling the upstream reach of the sewer conveyance system, starting at the Airport Access Shaft (AAS), located at Holly St and Shoreway Road, up to the Inner Bair Island shaft, located at the north end of Inner Bair Island. During the second phase, referenced as Tunnel Drive 2 (TD2), Salus tunneled from the AAS and broke in at the SFS shaft (before the shaft was fitted out for wastewater flows) in June 2021. With the completion of tunnel construction, BBJV lined the tunnel with Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer (FRP) pipe, which will ultimately carry the wastewater to the SVCW WWTP.

Completion of the tunnel construction is significant milestone for SVCW, achieving a goal nearly 10 years in the making from planning to construction. Throughout the construction activities, BBJV and its subcontractors maintained high coordination efforts with SVCW, SPJV and SVCWs public outreach partners, and delivered the project with high quality and safety results.

SVCW and BBJV are now working together with the other RESCU project teams to coordinate startup activities for the entire rehabilitated SVCW wastewater conveyance system. The startup of the system requires additional coordination with the Front of Plant and Pump Stations Improvements projects, since all the 3 projects will function together for the complete operation of the system. Startup coordination activities will be ongoing throughout the RESCU Program through the middle of 2023.