HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-11-002 - Drinking Water Quality Management Standard - Management Review 2010REPORT TO:Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
March 21, 2011
SUBMITTED BY: Wally Malcolm, Director of Utilities, 2538
PREPARED BY:
Angela Mick, Utilities Water Engineer, 2408
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: March 14, 2011
REPORT NO.:
INS-11-002
SUBJECT:
Drinking Water Quality Management Standard –
Management Review Summary for 2010
RECOMMENDATION:
For information
BACKGROUND:
One of recommendations from Justice O’Connor’s Part Two Report of the Walkerton Inquiry
was that “The Ministry of the Environment should require the owners of municipal water systems
to obtain an owner’s licence for the operation of their waterworks”. Justice O’Connor also
recommended that the Owners and Operating Authorities of these systems implement a quality
management approach to operations and management. As a result of these recommendations
a Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS) under the Safe Drinking Water Act,
2002 was released in October 2006.
The Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 andRegulation 188/07, requires the City of Kitchener to be
licensed to operate and maintain Kitchener’s Water Distribution System. Some of the licensing
requirements include the development and management of a Quality Management System
(QMS) and Operational Plan as well as communication to the Owner. The City of Kitchener
became licensed in August, 2009 with a Financial Plan submitted in July, 2010.
Section 19 of the Safe Drinking Water Act imposes a statutory standard of care on persons who
oversee the municipal drinking water system: “…every person who, on behalf of the
municipality, oversees the accredited operating authority of the system or exercises decision-
making authority over the system.” This standard of care includes Council since they have
decision-making authority. Part of the standard of care includes requiring system owners to
undertake financial planning and implement a QMS.
ç ó ï
REPORT:
This report represents the third annual Management Review Summary prepared in accordance
with the DWQM (summary of 2010). The DWQMS requires Top Management to “report the
results of the management review, the identified deficiencies, decisions and action items to the
Owner”.
Top Management is defined as “a person, persons or group of people at the highest
management level within an Operating Authority that makes decisions respecting the QMS and
recommendations to the Owner respecting the subject system or subjects systems”. The Owner
of the water utility is the Corporation of the City of Kitchener, represented by City Council.
A Management Review was completed by Wally Malcolm and Jim Edmondson (Top
Management) along with Angela Mick and Peter Pavlinich January 21, 2011 in accordance with
the Standard. The following is a high-level summary of the minutes:
The Financial Plan was approved by Council on June 7, 2010 and submitted to the
Municipal Affairs and Housing on June 15, 2010. The Plan was communicated to the
public via a newspaper ad and is also on Kitchener Utilities website
CityWorks does not have all the inspection and data entry functionality required to
support the QMS maintenance programs. This has been communicated to the
Cityworks team and work is on-going.
Data entry relating to CityWorks and data integrity is a concern. The ability to correct
infrastructure data is essential. This has been communicated to the Cityworks team and
work is on-going.
There have been numerous low chlorine adverse water quality incidents at the
Breithaupt Centre that needs to be addressed (service replacement planned for May,
2011).
A bulk water fill location to replace 83 Elmsdale is required. Two preliminary sites (365
Riverbend and Battler Yards) have been selected for further review (Installation target
date is end of 2011)
On-going high pressure issues are a concern (working with the Region to decrease
through Master Plan and other studies)
The Backflow Prevention Program cannot maintain it’s current rate of compliance
without data entry assistance. To be reviewed as a potential central administrative
function after the CMF move.
Regional Road projects on Ottawa St (2016), King St (2014) will require the watermain
to be replaced in advance of the work by City. Resources may be an issue. A new
position was recently created which may decrease this concern (Planning and Design
Technologist).
Accomplishments During 2010
Submission of the Financial Plan in July 2010 (Regulatory requirement)
CityWorks customer complaints (problem/cause/remedy) was developed (Regulatory
requirement)
ArcReader software for infrastructure information and mapping – laptops distributed to
field staff and locators. Current information is now available in the field (result of the GIS
conversion project). Increased functionality is ongoing
ç ó î
Hiring a Quality Management System Specialist to audit, create new
procedures/work instructions (continual improvement)
Tool crib is locked and there is a sign-in/out procedures which provides for
equipment control (concern noted by the Auditor)
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
This reports relates to the community priority of “Being accountable for the work of creating the
best future for our city and its residents”.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
N/A
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Drinking Water Quality Management Policy is available on Kitchener Utilities Website.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO, Infrastructure Services Department
ç ó í