The Village of Daajing Giids will rehabilitate its aging West Reservoir after an inspection found the water storage tank had deteriorated to the point it could no longer be used.
Council approved the rehabilitation option at its July 27 meeting, choosing repairs over replacing the reservoir with a new steel tank. The work will be funded through $112,291.50 from Gwaii Trust and $170,000 from the North West Regional Hospital District's Regional Benefit Account.
A staff report presented to council outlined three options: rehabilitate the existing reservoir for an estimated $286,000, replace it with an epoxy-coated steel tank for $2.06 million, or install a glass-fused steel tank for $2.83 million.
According to the report, the reservoir was emptied in June so Aurora Design Group could inspect its interior. When the tank was refilled, water began leaking through the floor. Contractors attempted to seal the leak using Sikaflex, but the repair was unsuccessful.
"The west reservoir is now unusable," the report states.
Aurora's inspection found the approximately 42-year-old steel reservoir showed widespread deterioration, including rust, corrosion, pitting, deteriorating roof components, worn coatings and signs the foundation beneath the floor had settled unevenly. Despite those issues, inspectors found no evidence of significant steel thickness loss in the areas tested.
While the engineering report recommended replacing the reservoir and addressing its foundation as the best long-term solution, it also concluded that rehabilitation could extend the reservoir's service life by an estimated five to 10 years if funding for replacement was not immediately available.
The rehabilitation program includes replacing the roof, roof hatch and vent, lining the floor, testing and repairing interior coatings, sealing corroded bolt lines, replacing the manway and replacing interior piping. Those repairs are estimated at $220,000, increasing to approximately $286,000 with a 30 per cent contingency.
The staff report noted replacement tenders were received in March 2026 for a new glass-fused steel reservoir, but the lowest bid came in at approximately $2.2 million, exceeding the project's available budget. Staff subsequently explored rehabilitation and a lower-cost epoxy-coated steel replacement as more affordable alternatives.
The inspection also identified concerns with the Village's East Reservoir, where inspectors observed small leaks in the floor and gaps between portions of the tank and its foundation. Aurora recommended those issues be investigated and the cause addressed as soon as possible.