Halifax Water plans major upgrades within Windsor Street exchange project

Halifax Water is planning multi-million dollar infrastructure upgrades as part of the Windsor Street exchange redevelopment, including the replacement of "high-risk" pieces vital to delivering water to the peninsula.

Earlier this month, the utility asked the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board (formerly the Utility and Review Board) to approve $69.2 million in construction and design costs for multiple infrastructure changes.

In their application, Halifax Water said these upgrades are needed within the next few years, so it makes sense to complete the work while the area will already be under construction. They said integrating the work will save taxpayers money, and have less impact on the public.

About $43 million in construction costs will be spent on local water, wastewater and stormwater upgrades to replace aging pipes that are nearing their end of life.

Pipes will be better aligned with the new roadway layout, the application said, in some cases moving infrastructure under the street rather than needing easements to cross private land.

About $13.7 million will be used to replace the North End Feeder (NEF) transmission main, which is a pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe that supplies most of the water to the peninsula's north end. It was built in the mid-1970s and is entering its 48th year, with a lifespan of about 50 to 75 years.

The application said this transmission main is considered "high risk" because it's not easily accessible as it's located in a deep tunnel below sea level. The pipe is under "significantly high pressures with unknown condition and would be catastrophic if it were to fail," Halifax Water said.

A new transmission main will be installed at a shallower depth along a different alignment to the existing pipe, to handle expected increases in water demand and allow the system to operate even with one of the mains out of service.

The remaining $12.2 million will go to a sewer separation project to support the planned housing growth in the Young Street area. A new stormwater pipe will go from the end of Kempt Road through the Windsor Street exchange to connect to an existing pipe on Bayne Street.

Millions more dollars in upgrades will be needed for both the Young Street sewer separation and North End Feeder main outside of this project, but the utility said they will request approval for those funds at a future date.

Halifax Water said most of the construction costs will be funded by debt, but the utility has also applied for federal funding under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF). They are awaiting the result of that request.

Municipal staff have said construction on the overall Windsor Street exchange redevelopment will start this year. 

Halifax is redesigning the important intersection to improve truck and car traffic through the area, and create a new multi-use path for cyclists and pedestrians. Some transit-only lanes will be created, but two-way bus lanes will come during the second phase of the project in a few years because the road must be widened.

The entire $150-million project is being cost shared with the federal and provincial governments, Halifax Water and Port of Halifax. The Halifax municipality's share is about $53 million.