Building a More Resilient Water System for Whistler

Whistler is a world‑class resort community on the shared, unceded territory of the Lil’wat and Squamish People in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, home to about 17,000 permanent and seasonal residents and host to over 3 million visitors a year. 

Delivering safe, reliable drinking water to this community is critical. To address long‑standing water quality, reliability, and regulatory issues in south Whistler, the Resort Municipality of Whistler engaged HDR to design and build a new south Whistler pump station and treatment facility, one of the most complex reconfigurations in the community’s history.

In the past, conditions in the system led to reduced water quality due to low levels of manganese in the water, low pH resulting in elevated copper corrosion in residential plumbing systems, and limited system redundancy that left the supply vulnerable to equipment failures.  

The project included:

• Construction of a new pump station and treatment facility
• Reconfiguration of the bulk water transmission network
• Replacement of groundwater wells
• Installation of high‑lift pumping infrastructure
• Addition of pH correction treatment

The reconfiguration of the transmission system required a series of complex water network tie-ins, which introduced elevated risks to the safe and reliable supply of potable water to the public. Critical system tie‑ins required temporary shutdowns of major water sources that supply up to 25% of Whistler’s water during peak summer demand. These shutdowns coincided with the Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival, peak summer tourist season, and elevated wildfire risk where any disruption to water or fire protection was unacceptable.

To manage these risks, the project team leveraged 4D construction phasing, an innovative approach that integrates 3D design models with the construction schedule. This allowed the entire team—engineers, contractors, operators, and decision‑makers—to visualize each stage of construction before it happened, test scenarios, and identify risks early.

Through detailed planning and collaboration, the team developed precise staging plans, contingency measures, and temporary system enhancements such as bypasses and additional disinfection. The result was a carefully choreographed construction and commissioning process that protected public health, maintained water reliability, and preserved Whistler’s reputation as a safe and welcoming destination.

The public was so enthusiastic about this work that local community members were monitoring and posting drinking water pH values on social media platforms during the construction and commissioning of the system.