Vancouver's Underground 'Project of the Century': Why Stage 3 Water Restrictions Are Just the Beginning

Starting June 8, 2026, Metro Vancouver will enforce Stage 3 water restrictions—banning lawn watering and car washing entirely. While drought and low snowpack are immediate triggers, the deeper reason lies beneath the surface: two concurrent 'century projects' upgrading the region's aging water infrastructure. The $495 million Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel is currently excavating a 1.4-kilometre tunnel 35 to 60 metres below ground, replacing 1930s-era pipes. Meanwhile, the Second Narrows Water Supply Tunnel—already named 2024 Canadian Project of the Year—has completed its 1.1-kilometre bore under Burrard Inlet at 30 metres depth, with 5.8-metre diameter large enough to drive a truck through. Both projects aim to bring the region's water network to modern seismic standards capable of withstanding a 'one-in-10,000-year' earthquake.