The City of Prince Rupert has been busy digging up streets to replace old pipes as part of the Big Infrastructure Gap (BIG) project.
The BIG project aims to replace critical water and sewer infrastructure that hasn’t been replaced in more than 50 years and has caused many problems.
Some of the pipes are made from concrete while some are eroding causing increased risks of leaks, breaks and water quality issues.
The project was originally launched in 2022 but has been pushed back due to factors out of the city’s control, said Mayor Herb Pond.
“It’s not that it was delayed, it’s more that costs have gone up. We priced the project out when we first launched it and ever since then we’ve been in a tariff war.”
Streets around Prince Rupert have been closed to replace water mains with more coming, such as Ninth Ave. W. and 11th Ave. E.
The city is warning residents in affected areas that there may be disruptions, said Pond.
“Seeing that we are working in residential areas, we are warning residents, especially the elderly and disabled, that they may be cut off from accessing their driveway while construction is going on.”
No official timelines have been released on when the project is expected to be complete.
For updates and progress reports on the BIG project, visit engage.princerupert.ca.
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