$450 million water supply tunnel running on budget and on time, officials say

A major water supply tunnel being built under the Fraser River between Surrey and New Westminster is expected to be both on time and on budget, according to Metro Vancouver officials.

On Tuesday, members of the media were given a tour of the tunnel, which is roughly 50 metres below ground level.

The project is Metro Vancouver’s third soft ground tunnel. The Port Mann water supply tunnel was completed in 2017, while the Second Narrows supply tunnel is nearing completion.

“Something we noticed in the early ‘90s was that a number of our existing crossings are vulnerable to damage during an earthquake,” said project manager Murray Gant.

“This is one of several crossings in our system that’s being designed and constructed to withstand a major earthquake should it occur in Vancouver,” he said.

“It’s also built for future growth and to protect our infrastructure from river scour and marine activities,” said Gant.

Construction began in 2022 and, according to Metro Vancouver, the tunnel boring machine was launched at the Surrey site earlier this year.

Officials say the tunnel will ultimately be around 2.3 kilometres in length, while as of now, they’re roughly halfway there.

“This is all done with an eye 100 years down the road when we will still have consistent and great water supplies to the Surrey area through this pipe,” said Metro Vancouver Board Chair Mike Hurley.

Metro Vancouver says it’s on pace to meet its completion estimate of 2028, while staying with the $450 million budget.