North Don Collector Emergency Sewer Repair

Client: York Region

In November 2024, York Region was notified of ground settlement near the North Don Collector Sanitary Trunk Sewer, an 825 mm pipe constructed in the 1970s and located adjacent to a sensitive creek within the Richmond Hill Golf Club. CCTV inspection revealed a pipe failure that posed a significant risk of service disruption and environmental contamination.

Accardi Engineering Group Ltd. was retained by York Region to lead the emergency design and coordinate rapid project delivery under an aggressive schedule. The team worked alongside Trisan Construction (general contractor) and Ward & Burke (microtunneling) to deliver a reliable trenchless solution within the confined easement.

After evaluating a multitude of repair alternatives and installation methods, the project team concluded that microtunneling was the most effective method, both for cost and time sensitivity. Microtunneling was used to install 140 metres of new 900 mm concrete pressure pipe along a new alignment, set further from the riverbank to reduce long-term erosion risks. Two microtunneling shafts, each approximately 8.4 m in diameter, were constructed in tight working conditions, supported by extensive site planning, matting across the golf course, and 24/7 bypass pumping.