Massive drill brought into London, Ont. for tunnelling under Wharncliffe Road

The drilling is part of an overall project to replace, re-route, and increase sewer capacity in the downtown area, valued at nearly $7.4 million.

A more than 80,000-pound drill has been brought to London to drill under Wharncliffe Road as part of a nearly $7.4 million project.

The drilling is part of an overall project to replace, re-route, and increase sewer capacity in the downtown area. Ashley Rammeloo, London’s director of water, wastewater and stormwater, says the project will replace 800 metres of trunk sewer in total.

“We’re increasing the capacity, which allows for infill development in the downtown, accommodates housing targets, and also will provide more capacity for wet weather flows, so we’re reducing overflows to the Thames River,” Rammeloo said at the construction site Tuesday.

The project will also tie into the West London Dyke reconstruction, Rammeloo says.

“The existing trunk sanitary sewer is down closer to the river and it’s in a spot that’s not great in terms of access. It needs to be increased in size, so, moving it during this project also gets it out of the way for the West London Dyke project.”

The drill, which belongs to Erritt Construction and is worth over $2 million, will be used to drill 6 metres below the ground for a total length of 68 metres, right under Wharncliffe, from Cavendish Crescent to Riverside Park.

“Microtunneling is one of many trenchless technologies that the city uses to enable putting in the same infrastructure without the disruption to the road network, to people’s drives, to the park,” Rammeloo says.