Kelowna Has Big Plans for Underground Infrastructure in 2024

“When underground infrastructure is working well, it often goes unnoticed, but capital projects that support safe handling of wastewater, stormwater, and potable water build peace of mind for our residents,” said Rod MacLean, utility planning manager. “These projects protect community health, our environment, Okanagan Lake and surrounding infrastructure.”

Kelowna, located about 271 km northeast of Vancouver on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, announced the works April 30, and noted that one of the projects officially started in early April. The $7-million project Burtch Sanitary Trunk upgrade project focuses on repairing 2.7 km of sanitary sewer pipe using the cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) method. “Normally a sanitary sewer pipe repair of this scale would take the entire construction season and require excavation of the existing pipe and installation of a replacement, bringing invasive impacts for residents and commuters,” said Dylan Wilson, senior project manager. “By using a trenchless technology, we are able to complete the repair with significantly fewer impacts on residents and at a much lower cost.”

City of Kelowna staff examined several options and scenarios to renew or repair the pipe, and identified that traditional replacement would be complex, costly, and difficult to complete quickly. In part, because the repair path crosses Highway 97 and other major roads, Parkinson Park, riparian areas along Mill Creek as well as other significant buried utilities. Active construction in the area is expected to take place between late April and June. The repair route will run along Hardy Street, Enterprise Way, Enterprise Court, Parkinson Way, Sutherland Avenue, Burtch Road and through the Parkinson Recreation Centre parking lot.

“Repairing and maintaining our underground infrastructure is crucial for community health, to protect our environment and to safeguard surrounding infrastructure,” said Wilson. In addition to the CIPP work, this project requires a bypass system of two overland pipes, which are monitored 24 hours a day to ensure they remain in good working order.

Overland pipe 1 will intercept sewer flow at Hardy Street, redirect along the old Rail Bed and then following Clement Avenue, before reconnecting to existing sewer lines on Vineland Street. Overland pipe 2 will begin at Burtch Road between Highway 97 and Sutherland Avenue and rejoin the existing sewer line at Guisachan and Byrns roads. This project aligns with the City of Kelowna’s 2040 Official Community Plan’s objective to ensure fiscally responsible management of existing and proposed infrastructure and its vision to Protect Land, Water, and Air.

This summer, the city will also begin work on an extension to the Glenmore sanitary trunk main, to help keep pace with population growth. The project will add 1.2 km of transmission main to meet existing and future needs. Right now, effluent in the Glenmore Sanitary main has to funnel into smaller connecting mains enroute to the wastewater plant. This extension will eliminate that step, significantly decreasing the risk of overburdening the smaller local mains. The project will take place in two phases: Phase 1, from Cross Road to Union Road, taking place in 2024; and Phase 2 from Union Road to Snowsell Street taking place in 2025.

Additional Work in Kelowna

Numerous other 2024 utility projects that will upgrade the City’s underground infrastructure network include:

• Coronation Avenue utility upgrade project between Richter and Ethel streets to replace the aging sewer network while also upgrading the existing water system to increase flows to services and provide improved hydrant coverage.
• East Pandosy Street sanitary upgrade project will replace 750 m of existing asbestos cement mains which are in poor condition.
• Summit Reservoir expansion project will bolster water resources for firefighting and address the evolving needs of the growing Dilworth neighbourhood.
• Raymer Avenue watermain renewal project (Phase 1) will upgrade the existing water infrastructure along Raymer Avenue between Mappin Court and Gordon Drive. The existing cast iron watermain, which is susceptible to costly breaks, will be replaced with a new PVC main.
• Central Rutland sewer project, which began in 2023, will provide sanitary sewer infrastructure to more than 500 properties. Project activities in 2024 will include completing the installation of infrastructure on the west side of Rutland Road and beginning work on the east side of Rutland Road. This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

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