Englishman River Water Service
The Englishman River Water Service (ERWS) is a joint venture between the City of Parksville and the Regional District of Nanaimo. It was formed to secure a Bulk water supply from the Englishman River. This partnership supplements existing well supply sources owned and operated by both the City of Parksville and the Regional District of Nanaimo’s Nanoose Bay Peninsula Water Service Area.
Intake and Treatment
The river intake is in Top Bridge Park, where Highway 19 bypasses Parksville and crosses over the Englishman River.
The water treatment plant is located on Herring Gull Way, in the City of Parksville's Public Works yard. The water treatment plant capacity is 16 million litres per day. Treatment uses membrane filtration, ultra-violet light (UV) radiation, and chlorine disinfection.
Project Background
Island Health mandated the improvement of drinking water obtained from the Englishman River to ensure a safe and secure water supply.
Construction of the Arrowsmith Dam was completed in 1999. Construction of a new river intake was completed in 2018. This construction included a water treatment facility and installation of large water transmission mains. A new (larger) pump station was constructed on Northwest Bay Road in 2019. This station conveys water to the Nanoose Bay Peninsula Water Service customers year-round, instead of seasonally. The water treatment plant was completed in 2019.
Project benefits include:
- Increased supply to RDN Nanoose Bay Peninsula Water Service Area
- Improved firefighting capabilities
- Reduced health risks from giardia/cryptosporidium
- Improved water quality (less iron/manganese than groundwater wells)
- Increased operational efficiency; reduced need for frequent watermain flushing
- Consistent high drinking water quality all year round
- Consistent seasonal flows in the Englishman River to protect fish
