Two Chapman Water System projects with histories dating back more than five years received committee support for budget lifts. The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) board is slated to vote on both recommendations on July 10.
Chapman Road well field monitoring continued
After stumbling across its finish line over budget and behind schedule in July 2022, the Church Road well project will see costs related to monitoring of its impacts on Soames Creek continuing into 2026, and likely beyond.
At their June 26 meeting, the SCRD's committee of the whole recommended a staff request for the wellfield’s current compliance monitoring contract with ISL Engineering be extended to July of next year at a cost of $80,000.
The monitoring is required as part of the Adaptive Management Plan of the SCRD’s water licence for the well. The Ministry of Water, Lands, and Resource Stewardship says this monitoring must continue through this October.
The ministry also “reinforced a licence condition requiring decommissioning of the original artesian Granthams Landing Well by June 30, 2026. However, field observations by ISL confirmed that the well contributes important base flows to Soames Creek, which supports critical fish habitat. To amend this condition and retain the well in operation, a formal submission is required under Section 52(6) of the Water Sustainability Act (WSA)," said a staff report.
The ministry indicated that means a five-year period of monitoring will ultimately be required, which will take those efforts into 2030.
Reservoir leak repairs
There were no indications of surprise from committee members as they recommended bumping up the budget (approved in 2021) for replacement work at Selma 2 reservoir, so it can be done in 2025.
“The [project] scope has expanded and material and labour costs have risen sharply. To finish the work safely and on time, an additional $250,000, of which $50,000 is contingency, is required,” a staff report on the agenda detailed. This contingency was recommended so that any unforeseen items “can be addressed immediately and not result in any further delay in addressing this station."
In reaction to general manager of infrastructure services Remko Rosenboom’s statement that the work is needed to address reservoir leaks, West Howe Sound area director Kate-Louise Stamford asked “how much” water was being lost.
Rosenboom admitted staff did not have an estimate of the volume of the leakage, but said, “We know that it is more than we want it to be."
He also explained that a properly functioning value system would allow for better control of water as well as the ability to isolate and drain sections of the reservoir while keeping the remainder in operation.
The 14-million-litre reservoir, which is the primary supply control for the Chapman Water System, is located adjacent to the Chapman Creek water treatment plant.
