Nanaimo’s Seventh Street Pump Station is getting an early upgrade after heavy rains in November 2021 overwhelmed the system. During the atmospheric river event, both of the system’s pumps had to operate at the same time, meaning if one failed, sewers in the area could have overflowed.
At the city’s finance and audit committee meeting on Feb. 20, Bill Sims, general manager for engineering and public works, said the budget for the project this year needs to increase by $450,000 from $573,887 to $1,023,887.
It will be funded by $288,000 from the Sewer DCC Reserve Fund and $162,000 from the Sewer Asset Management Reserve Fund.
The city previously allocated $1 million in 2023 for upgrades, and spent$426,113 by the end of that year. The proposed increase will bring the total for the project to $1.45 million.
The motion passed unanimously and will go to city council for a final decision on Monday, Feb. 26.
