Meeting Vancouver's need for drinking water

In the 1930s, Metro Vancouver constructed a water main to supply the community with drinking water. Nearly a century later, the water system has reached the end of its service life. It is also vulnerable to seismic activity and can't keep pace with the growing population. The Greater Vancouver area is currently home to 2.4 million residents, with the population expected to rise to 3.4 million by 2050. 

Meeting technical, environmental, and archaeological challenges 

Metro Vancouver set out to construct a new water main below Stanley Park. This 1,001-acre (405-hectare) park has great Indigenous significance and is one of Vancouver's top tourist destinations, home to lush forests, diverse wildlife, and the Seawall – the longest uninterrupted waterfront path in the world.

During conceptual design, Mott MacDonald assessed different alignments for the new water main. After picking the preferred alignment, our team investigated sites in Stanley Park, mapped outcrops, drilled boreholes, and applied marine geophysics. We currently manage a multidisciplinary team of 14 subconsultants, each one committed to meeting the technical, environmental, social, and archaeological challenges.  

Securing the water supply

A tunnel more than 4,500 feet (1,370 m) long is being excavated through sedimentary bedrock. Construction started on this in 2024 and is expected to last through 2029. Inside the tunnel, the new Capilano Main No. 5 will bring water from the Capilano Reservoir to the cities of Vancouver, Richmond, and Delta.  Once the water main is completed, the region’s water supply will be secure for years to come.