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CRD board approves master plan for Greater Victoria regional water supply

2022 master plan will guide engineering projects proposed through 2050
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Map shows regional water supply areas and capital works recommendations approved by the Capital Regional District board at the Aug. 10 meeting. (Courtesy Capital Regional District)

The Capital Regional District board has approved the regional water supply 2022 master plan, following the Regional Water Supply Commission’s approval last month in July.

The plan serves as a guide for an infrastructure program being implemented over the next 30 years – factoring in the realities of climate change, projected population and water treatment as well as regulatory requirements.

“This plan outlines our vision to ensure continued delivery of high quality, clean, and sustainable drinking water for the next 30 years, a significant asset for our region,” CRD board chair Colin Plant said in a release.

A total of 21 projects, valued at approximately $2 billion, are being recommended to meet anticipated water supply and treatment needs.

Among them are construction of a filtration plant directly upstream from the Goldstream Disinfection Facility, the addition of a second deep intake in the Sooke Lake Reservoir’s north basin, and the installation of a pipe between the Goldstream Lake Reservoir and the wastewater treatment plant in Esquimalt to improve the quality of the secondary water supply for emergencies.

It also proposes diverting the waters of the Leech River to the Deception Gulch and Sooke Lake reservoirs to supplement water supply, in addition to transmission system improvements.

Public feedback and engagement will direct how the master plan is implemented over time. Ongoing engagement with First Nations will focus on projects located in or near traditional territories and areas of cultural significance. Recommended projects will continue to be reassessed on a five- to 10-year cycle.

For more information on the regional water supply 2022 master plan, visit getinvolved.crd.bc.ca/2022-regional-water-supply-master-plan.

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