Crews in water-logged Metro Vancouver prepare for next drenching

With more rain in the forecast, crews continue to deal with a mudslide earlier this week that covered a road in Coquitlam in debris, posing risk to Metro Vancouver's water supply.

With another drenching of rain possible in parts of British Columbia, crews are working fast to clean up last week’s mudslides – to ensure the next drenching doesn’t impact the infrastructure that supplies water to homes and businesses in Metro Vancouver.

Earlier this week, a mudslide blocked Pipeline Road near Coquitlam, limiting access to the region’s water treatment plant.

“This road’s very important for access to our facility as well as residents that live in the area,” said Brant Arnold-Smith with Metro Vancouver emergency management.

Arnold-Smith said crews are working with those from the City of Coquitlam to provide technical expertise as debris from the mudslide is removed, as another rainstorm is expected on Tuesday.

He said with rocks, mud and wood debris still needing to be removed, they want to ensure water infrastructure, such as pipes from the plant, aren’t accidentally damaged.

“We have a number of water transmission pipes under Pipeline Road that provide drinking water to the region,” Arnold-Smith said. “Public safety is paramount and ensuring that our water infrastructure here is not damaged as debris removal continues is our top priority.”

He said the pipes provide about one-quarter of region’s drinking water.

The work comes the same day the River Forecast Centre announced it had ended its high streamflow advisories for several regions, including Metro Vancouver, the North Shore Mountains, the Fraser Valley and the Sunshine Coast.