In response to a strong endorsement from Vancouver Coastal Health and the Cove Bay Water Treatment Plant, which is now operational and delivering high-quality water, Bowen Island Municipality is proceeding with plans to initiate the Eagle Cliff – Cove Bay Connection Project.
This project is a critical infrastructure initiative that will provide safe, reliable, and high-quality drinking water to the Eagle Cliff (EC) community.
Residents of Eagle Cliff are invited to join us for a Community Information Meeting to learn more about current projects, future plans, and to have your questions answered. We also welcome residents of Cove Bay (CB) to attend and take part in the discussion.
The meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at 12:00 pm.
The meeting link can be found here:
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 821 6645 8638
Passcode: 684637
The meeting will also be streamed on the Bowen Island Municipality YouTube channel for those unable to attend live.
Attending the meeting will be:
- Kirn Dhillon – Chief Administrative Officer, Bowen Island Municipality
- Kristen Watson – Chief Financial Officer, Bowen Island Municipality
- Phil Muirhead – Drinking Water Specialist, Vancouver Coastal Health
- Glen Shkurhan – Consulting Engineer, Urban Systems
- Aaron Hamilton – Project Manager, NB Contracting Ltd.
We encourage residents to submit questions in advance, especially if you are unable to attend. Please email your questions to water@bimbc.ca.
Background:
The EC water system currently faces significant challenges that threaten public health and service reliability, including a leaking reservoir and dam, insufficient raw water supply, outdated treatment processes, high turbidity levels, and inadequate infrastructure for both domestic consumption and fire protection. The preferred approach to address these challenges is to connect EC to the CB water system via a new 1.3 km water main.
The EC–CB Water Connection Project is being funded through a combination of grant funding and approved borrowing. Approximately 73.3% of the total project cost, representing up to $1.54 million of the $2.03 million total, is grant funded. The remaining $820,000 will be financed through borrowing, which was formally approved by EC residents via a counter-petition process conducted in early 2024.
NB Contracting was awarded the contract for the EC–CB Connection Project concurrently with the Bluewater Park Water System Replacement Project in 2024, securing favourable pricing through combined procurement.
Timeline:
NB Contracting is finalizing the work on the West side of the island, which will be completed mid-August. Barring any equipment delivery delays, it is expected that work on the EC-CB Connection Project will commence in late August and continue until February 2026.
What’s Coming Next?
The Municipality is currently exploring the potential merger of the EC and CB local service areas, intending to streamline operations and improve the efficiency of water service delivery.
To ensure transparency and public involvement, Council will initiate a counter-petition process (under the Community Charter) in both service areas before any merger is finalized. Public input will be a critical component of this process, and no changes will proceed without full due process and public notice.
Questions?
Please submit questions for the Community Information Meeting to water@bimbc.ca.
All other questions can be directed to Public Works at 604-947-4255 ext. 4 or publicworks@bimbc.ca.
Further information on the Eagle Cliff – Cove Bay Connection Project can be found here.