Crews have begun construction on a new $450-million water supply tunnel between New Westminster and Surrey designed to withstand a major earthquake.
Metro Vancouver director of major tunnelling projects Murray Gant said the Annacis Water Supply Tunnel is one of five “key crossings” the regional district has prioritized after a review of seismic hazards in its water network.
“These key crossings are being designed to withstand a one-in-10,000-year return period earthquake, so ‘the big one,’ the magnitude 9 earthquake you hear about frequently,” he said.
“Hopefully that never happens, but this project is designed to remain operational should that event occur.”
The new tunnel will serve communities south of the Fraser River, ensuring clean water is available in the event of a disaster.
The new tunnel is being bored between 45 and 60 metres below ground level, a precaution meant to keep it safe should a major earthquake cause soil to liquefy.
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Metro Vancouver completed a similar upgrade at the Port Mann crossing in 2017 and is currently completing work on another at the Second Narrows crossing between Vancouver and the North Shore.
Gant said there are a number of other water systems that also need an upgrade, which will get less intensive seismic improvements over the next three decades.
The Annacis tunnel is expected to be completed by 2028.
