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‘Daunting’ task ahead to repair aging Oak Bay pipes

Much of Oak Bay’s underground infrastructure is nearing the end of its life and is in need of replacement, according to a consultant’s report.
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Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen

Much of Oak Bay’s underground infrastructure is nearing the end of its life and is in need of replacement, according to a consultant’s report.

The majority of Oak Bay’s sewer, storm and water assets are in “poor or very poor condition,” says a report from Opus International — an assessment supported by Oak Bay staff.

Mayor Nils Jensen said the condition of Oak Bay’s infrastructure is not unusual for an older Canadian municipality.

“A lot of the infrastructure is now coming due for replacement or certainly major repair,” he said, “and we find ourselves in the same situation.”

Council agreed with a staff recommendation that a more detailed assessment be undertaken to help create a replacement plan.

“The sheer size of the task that lies ahead is daunting,” said Daniel Horan, Oak Bay’s director of engineering, in a recent report to council.

Jensen said a distinction has to be made between the district’s water and sewer infrastructure. The water system, which is funded through utility bills, has been steadily upgraded over time and is in much better shape than sewer infrastructure, he said.

“The sewage infrastructure, which was on taxes for a while, was neglected and now that’s also on a utility basis. So I think we’ll get on a better footing because of that,” he said.

A separate analysis of municipal buildings, commissioned in 2015, recommends several be replaced over the next five years, including the police, fire and public works buildings, municipal hall and library — all of which are functionally inadequate and seismically vulnerable.

“Replacing these buildings is clearly not a viable option within the next five years,” Horan says in his report. “A robust operational and capital business plan that ties assets with expected funding is required.”

Horan notes that Oak Bay’s revenue “is insufficient for long-term sustainability.”

The district’s current financial plan “does not reflect the future costs of replacing assets,” the report says. “Significant unanticipated changes to reserve funding is required moving forward with asset management.”

Jensen said the district is conducting a buildings-condition inventory as part of developing an asset management plan.

“Once that’s done, we’ll do a plan over the next five, 10 or 50 years as to how we’re going to renew that infrastructure,” he said. “Sometimes, we will save for it. Other times, we will be in a position to borrow.”

Council agreed to consider a funding program for building renewal, upgrades and renovation in the 2020s during budget deliberations and to development of an asset management plan.