HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-18-006 - DWQMS Management Review Summary Report 2017REPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure Services
DATE OF MEETING: March 5, 2018
SUBMITTED BY: Greg St. Louis, Director, Utilities 519-741-2600 X4538
PREPARED BY: Angela Mick, Utilities Water Engineer, 519-741-2600 X4408
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: February 12, 2018
REPORT NO.: INS-18-006
SUBJECT: Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS)
Management Review Summary for 2017
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION: For Information.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The purpose of this report is to inform Council, as the decision-making authority, about
the status of the drinking water system on an annual basis. The Kitchener Water
Distribution System meets the requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act. There
are specific areas that must be reported on per regulatory requirements which include,
but are not limited to: consumer feedback, results of infrastructure review, results of
audits and summary of maintenance. The attached report provides details of the
Kitchener Drinking Water System 2017.
BACKGROUND:
The Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 and Regulation 188/07, requires the City of
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. A renewal to the licence was made in February 2014, with
a revised Financial Plan.
Section 19 of the Safe Drinking Water Act imposes a statutory standard of care on
behalf of the municipality, oversees the accredited operating authority of the system or
exercises decision-making au
Council since they have decision-making authority. Part of the standard of care includes
requiring system owners to undertake financial planning and implement the Drinking
Water Quality Management System (DWQMS).
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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REPORT:
This report represents the Annual Management Review Summary for 2017 prepared in
results of the management review, the identified deficiencies, decisions and action
A detailed DWQMS Management Review for 2017 is attached.
AManagement Review was completed by Greg St. Louis, Director, Utilities along with
Angela Mick, Utilities Water Engineer and Ras Sonthisay, Quality Management System
Specialist onFebruary 5, 2018 in accordance with the Standard.
Top Management is 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
The Owner of the water utility is the Corporation of the City of Kitchener,
represented by City Council.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
vision through the delivery of core service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
N/A.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM in
advance of the council / committee meeting.Drinking Water Quality Management Policy
is available on Kitchener Utilities Website.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Cynthia Fletcher, Interim Executive Director, Infrastructure
Services Department
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Kitchener Utilities
City of Kitchener Drinking Water Distribution
System
Drinking Water Quality Management
Standard
Management Review 2017
The contents of this document are the intellectual property of Kitchener Utilities and cannot be reproduced
and/or distributed to any individual or organisation without the written authorization of Kitchener Utilities.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part A - Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 3
Purpose............................................................................................................................................... 3
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. 3
Background ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Other Related Water Quality Reports ................................................................................................. 5
Quality Management System Policy .................................................................................................... 5
Part B Management Review ................................................................................................................ 6
System Description .............................................................................................................................. 6
Water Infrastructure Program .............................................................................................................. 7
Incidents of Regulatory Non Compliance ............................................................................................ 7
Incidences of Adverse Drinking Water ................................................................................................. 8
Deviations from Critical Control Points Limits and Response ............................................................... 9
Effectiveness of the Risk Assessment Process ........................................................................................ 11
Results of Internal and External Audits ............................................................................................... 12
Operational Performance ................................................................................................................... 13
Raw Water Supply and Drinking Water Quality Trends ...................................................................... 13
Follow-up on Action Items from Previous Management Reviews ....................................................... 14
Status of Management Action Items Identified Between Reviews ........................................................ 14
Changes that could Affect the Quality Management System ............................................................... 14
Consumer Feedback ........................................................................................................................... 15
Resources Needed to Maintain the Quality Management System ....................................................... 15
Results of the Infrastructure Review ................................................................................................... 15
Summary of Maintenance .................................................................................................................. 16
Effectiveness of Maintenance .............................................................................................................. 17
Operational Plan Currency, Content and Updates .............................................................................. 18
Staff Suggestions ................................................................................................................................. 18
Other ................................................................................................................................................. 18
Appendix ............................................................................................................................................. 22
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PART A - INTRODUCTION
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to inform the decision-making authority about the status of the
drinking water system. The Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS) under
the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) requires management to review
and evaluate the continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the Quality Management
System at least once a year and that the results of the management review, identified
deficiencies, decisions and action items are provided to the Owner.
Executive Summary
Highlights of the report are:
The Water Infrastructure Program (WIP) was initiated in spring 2017 which included a
high level review of water maintenance programs and identified gaps including the
resourcing of the maintenance programs
th
160km of watermains cleaned (approx. 1/6 of the City), 1300 valve operated resulted
in 96 fewer discoloured water calls (47) as compared to 2016 (143).
64 valves were replaced under KU direction to address the majority of known broken
valves.
Approximately 1450 valves were proactively operated (20%); the majority were within
the cleaning area and the 2017 reconstruction areas. Although this is below the 30%
target, valve operating numbers have greatly increased since 2016 (4%).
There were 79 watermain breaks in 2017, which is less than the 5-year average of 110.
Completed annual chamber pump outs for those higher risk chambers containing air
reliefs
Electronic access to standard operating procedure and emergency information in the field
via migration to Laserfiche and laptops
Replaced approximately 5,000 aging water meters
Unaccounted for water was 8.9% (under the 10% target)
From 2009 to 2017, experienced an increase in the number of yearly locate requests
from 9,076 to 17,541, with the trend anticipated to continue
Areas of improvement for 2018 are:
Continue to move from reactive to more proactive distribution system maintenance as
per WIP recommendations:
th
o watermain cleaning another 1/6 of the City is scheduled with planning activities
underway
o proactive valve turning and repair within watermain cleaning area
o additional valve chamber inspections and repair
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Accelerate the backflow prevention program to increase the number of properties
protected:
o migration from existing standalone program to AMANDA in 2018 will allow for
up to date customer information, pull down menus for increased customer
service, decreased administrative burden and greater consistency
Continue with valve replacement program for broken/damaged valves. As more valves
are operated, more valves are found to require replacement.
Continue with meter replacement program (current backlog is approximately 16,000
meters target replacement is 15 years old)
Watermain connections/cut and caps - new requirements for witnessing/reporting was
rolled out January 1, 2018 and will create additional workload
Development of maintenance procedures/agreements with ION/Keolis (for water related
works (planned and emergency response) around the track area
Develop mobile solutions in conjunction with the CityWorks team for field inspections to
minimize data entry and free up resources
Continue development of a mobile solution for reporting watermain breaks to improve
customer communication
Provide an agreement for Council approval for Kitchener to act as the Overall
Responsible Operator (ORO) for dual ownership watermains (watermains that are
jointly owned with the Region). Although the system currently operates this way, an
agreement is required by the MOECC to formalize the arrangement
Background
wners of municipal water
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
was released in October 2006.
Theand , requires the City of Kitchener to be
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 imposes a statutory standard of care on persons who
ho, on behalf of the
municipality, oversees the accredited operating authority of the system or exercises decision-
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decision-making authority. Part of the standard of care includes requiring system owners to
undertake financial planning and implement a QMS.
Other Related Water Quality Reports
The City of Kitchener Summary Water Report January 1st to December 31st 2017 (INS 18-005)
is a regulatory report provided to Council, which provides a summary of drinking water
including adverse water quality incidences and water volume.
The Kitchener Distribution System prepares an annual summary of the number of tests taken
within the distribution system as well as the range of the results. A copy of this report is
provided on the Kitchener Utilities website.
The Kitchener Distribution System is part of an Integrated Urban System, meaning the Regional
Municipality of Waterloo is responsible for water treatment and the development, operation of
a trunk water network to distribute treated water to Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo,
Woolwich and Wilmot. There are a variety of wells (80%), treatment facilities as well as a
Grand River (20%) source. rastructure system is complex,
consisting of numerous supply sources, pressure zones, reservoirs and pumping stations. Ensuring
sufficient pressure and quantities to meet current and planned growth requires a long-term, co-
ordinated strategy. The Region provides annual summaries for each supply and the information
is available on their website with a link from the Kitchener Utilities website.
A portion of Kitchener (River Ridge area) is supplied by the City of Waterloo. Kitchener
supplies water to a small section of Waterloo (Ira Needles area) and water travels through the
Kitchener distribution system to Breslau (Woolwich)
report is available on their website.
Quality Management System Policy
Kitchener Utilities ow
Distribution System. At Kitchener Utilities, we are committed to supplying the City with safe
drinking water. We work together as the City of Kitchener and the Region of Waterloo to keep
water matters top of mind. We are committed to these principles:
1. Quality
Kitchener water is safely treated and regularly tested according to government legislation and
regulations for the consistent delivery of safe, quality drinking water. We are committed to
maintaining and continually improving the Quality Management System, and complying with
applicable legislation.
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2. Trust
Trust us to look after your water needs by delivering quality water and reliable service.
3. Value
Tap water is the most economical choice.
4. Communication
We will communicate openly with the public concerning matters of drinking water quality.
PART B MANAGEMENT REVIEW
System Description
The scope of the waterworks begins at the point where treated water enters the watermain
from the treatment facilities, and ends at the property lines of the consumers. There is no
storage, chlorine boosting, secondary disinfection or pressure boosting within the control of the
waterworks.
As of the end of 2017, the waterworks consists of approximately:
890.5 km of distribution watermain 760 km Kitchener owned, 25 km Dual owned
(joint ownership between Kitchener and Region) and 105 km Regional owned (22 km is
untreated)
66,110 water meters in service
4,374 hydrants (not including private hydrants)
7,503 valves (not including service valves or hydrant valves) 6,970 Kitchener owned,
137 Dual and 395 Regional
(See Appendix 1 map at end of this document)
The waterworks system has the following permits and licences:
Municipal Drinking Water Licence
Drinking Water Works Permit
Financial Plan
Operational Plan
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Water Infrastructure Program
The Water Infrastructure Program (WIP) was initiated in spring 2017 to evaluate variables that
influence the water, sanitary sewer and stormwater rates with the intent of providing rate
options for Council consideration and to support the 2018 budget process (INS-17-070). As
related to the DWQMS, the report included a detailed review of the capital program including
analysis of current pipe condition data and estimated life of pipe; detailed review of the
maintenance program including a gap analysis and phase-in strategy to address the gap; and
development of a communication plan.
Key findings as related to DWQMS included:
Estimated pipe life was dependent on material, which influences the replacement
schedule (previous practice was 80 years):
o Cast iron 50 years
o Ductile iron 80 years
o Plastic pipe 100 years
o Other pipe 80 years
Water maintenance program identified a $1.3M annual maintenance gap which included
the following areas:
o Watermain cleaning program
o Valve maintenance and replacement programs
o Cross connection control program
o Hydrant operation and maintenance (minor gap)
o Underground utility locates
Identified the relationship between preventative maintenance and prolonging the life of
assets.
Council supported Option 2, the highlights of Option 2 included:
Address the capital needs gap by 2037
Incorporates maintenance program funding needs over five years (water phase in is
$260,000/year)
2018 combined rate increase of 7%
Action: rates were determined through the budget process
Incidents of Regulatory Non Compliance
A Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) inspection was completed February
1-2, 2018 and covered January 1, 2017 to
preparation, the MOECC had not issued their report; preliminary findings did not identify any
issues of non-compliance while the inspector reviewed documentation with the City on
February 1-2.
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Action: No further action required for information only
Incidences of Adverse Drinking Water
There were 35 Adverse Water Quality Incidences (AWQI) during the year, two of which
resulted in self-imposed Boil Water Advisories (BWA).
The number of low chlorine AWQIs (22) were at repeat locations and were largely due
to broken valves, large diameter watermains (portions of Ottawa St N and Victoria St N)
taken out of service for construction, and other construction which created temporary
dead ends.
The majority of the total coliform AWQIs (8 total) were on temporary watermains and
the resamples were clear
There were 2 locations with lead exceedances in the plumbing system and 2 hydrants in
the distribution system (4 related AWQIs). The hydrant with repeat high values was
replaced and follow-up sample was free of lead. Since less than 10% of samples had lead
exceedances, we can continue to complete a reduced lead sampling program in 2018.
The Summary Water Report January 1st to December 31, 2017 report (INS 18-005)
discusses water quality compliance further
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Action: No further action required for information only
Deviations from Critical Control Points Limits and Response
There were 79 watermain breaks in 2017, which is less than the 5-year average of 110.
Watermain breaks are weather dependent due to the frost movement with colder
winters resulting in more breaks. Incident debriefs are completed for watermain breaks.
This information helps to determine priorities for replacement due to condition.
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Water loss for 2017 was 8.9%; the MOECC target is 10%. Water loss includes water
used for construction watermain commissioning (e.g. new mains and replacement mains),
water for temporary main supply during reconstruction, and water use for reactive
flushing (e.g. discoloured water).
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Action: No further action required for information only
Effectiveness of the Risk Assessment Process
A risk assessment was completed on July 26, 2017. The purpose of the risk assessment
was to brainstorm potential risks and identify counter measures, where appropriate. The
following is a summary:
o Reviewed additional mandatory risks associated with climate change including:
long term impacts of climate change, water supply shortfall, extreme weather
events and sustained extreme temperatures.
o There were new critical control points added, however various work
instructions/capital improvements (e.g. additional pumps for watermain breaks,
additional protected bulk filling station) were made.
Summary of Cross Connection Program (includes the Bulk Water Fill) as of end of the
year: 2,100 services are protected by Backflow Prevention (BFP). More premises require
isolation than those that are protected (2,678 are not protected). Additional resources
were requested and approved under WIP for 2018.
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Action: Proceed with plan to address backlog in 2018
Results of Internal and External Audits
An external audit was completed by a contractor (SAI Global) on June 8, 2017. No non-
conformances were found; however, the auditor recommended re-endorsement by
council after elections.
There have not been any non-conformances to date for the 2017/2018 (Sept-Sept) audits;
however, opportunities for improvement have been identified.
Action: Follow-up is required on various minor opportunities for improvement
Results of the Emergency Response Training/Testing
Emergency training for management staff was completed May 24 and November 29,
2017
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Staff emergency training occurred in several sessions between February and June, 2017.
In addition, debriefs are also completed for selected events. For example, debriefs after
Boil Water and Drinking Water Advisories are completed to improve our processes.
Action: No further action required for information only
Operational Performance
Ongoing work with the Region for the Zone 2 and 4 Optimization this will improve
water pressures and supply in the south-eastern end of the city. The majority of the work
is Regional however; the City responsibilities include installation of PRVs, watermain
installation and operational valve closures. This work is dependent on timing of
development in the areas and as development proceeds, additional sections of the main
are installed.
watermain from the Mannheim Water Treatment plant across the southern portion of
the City. Work commenced in 2017 and will be ongoing.
Future upgrades to Strange St Pumping station (anticipated in 2019-2020) will include
additional treatment for manganese which will decrease discoloured water issues in the
surrounding area.
Action: No further action required for information only
Raw Water Supply and Drinking Water Quality Trends
There are known seasonal issues with the water supply:
Fall - Grand River temperature changes may cause odour challenges in the source water,
which may increase flushing requirements
Winter temperature extremes may cause more watermain breaks in the system
Two large diameter watermains were out of service (different times) on Ottawa St and Victoria
St due to construction activities. This combined with broken valves and watermains cut off for
reconstruction resulted in a concentrated area of low chlorine residuals in the area east of the
expressway and south of Victoria St. Additional flushing occurred to bring fresh water into this
area. The issues were resolved by turning on the mains (after construction) and replacing some
broken valves in late 2017.
Action: No further action required for information only
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Follow-up on Action Items from Previous Management Reviews
Mobile project with direct data entry initial pilot project complete (gas valves), water
valve scheduled for spring 2018
Quarterly Joint Supervisor/Top Management Meetings
Action: Schedule quarterly meetings and follow-up water valve meeting
Status of Management Action Items Identified Between Reviews
There were no items identified between the management reviews. There have been changes in
Top Management in 2017.
Action: No further action required for information only
Changes that could Affect the Quality Management System
A revised DWQMS document was released in February 2017 (version 2.0). This version
includes mandatory review of potential climate change impacts as part of risk
assessment and additional guidance surrounding continual improvement.
An Overall Responsible Operator Agreement is required between the City and the
Region. The agreement formalizes the operating relationship between the two
municipalities with respect to dual (shared ownership) watermains. The agreement will
be brought forward to council once complete.
MOECC has a draft guidance document regarding the roles and responsibilities of the
ORO and OIC (Operator in Charge). Impacts are not yet known.
Changes have
been incorporated as part of watermain break procedures, however additional changes
regarding cut and caps and new watermain connections were implemented January 1,
2018. The additional requirements will result in increased coordination and workload for
supervisors and staff.
O.Reg 170/03 Drinking Water Systems and O.Reg. 169/03 Ontario Drinking Water
Quality Standards were updated with new sampling requirements for haloacetic acids
(HAAs) a disinfection by-product
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Excess Soil Reuse Regulation
o Impacts how soil from excavations (e.g. watermain breaks) is sampled and
disposed of. This may have an impact on the overall cost of watermain breaks
Action: No further action required for information only
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Consumer Feedback
The number of discoloured water calls has decreased largely due to proactive watermain
cleaning from 143 in 2016 to 47 in 2017. The large diameter watermains which were out
of service during the ION project are back in service.
Action: Continue with proposed watermain cleaning area in 2018 (see Appendix II map at end
of this document for approximate circled area).
Resources Needed to Maintain the Quality Management System
A mobile solution for inspection data entry would decrease administrative burden
working towards a second pilot project.
Proper completion of paperwork is an on-going struggle (e.g. valve replacements)
A dedicated QMS Specialist for the water. The role is currently split between gas and
water and there is a sufficient volume of work for two QMS positions.
Action: No further action required for information only
Results of the Infrastructure Review
WIP report identified long term asset planning and condition based assessment rather
than age based
Individual project selection is based on a number of factors including condition
(watermain break history), material, criticality, watermain size, presence of lead services,
shallow mains, and other infrastructure needs (storm, sanitary, road)
2017 reconstruction projects were completed as per the 2017 Road & Utility Capital
Forecast
2018 projects were finalized
Meetings were held with Asset Management and Engineering staff at both the City and
the Region to determine future project needs
Issue papers are brought forward as part of the budget process, additional funding
requests related to maintenance and water-only capital projects. The majority of water-
only projects are included as part of Regional road work to minimize disruptions to
citizens and be cost effective.
Action: No further action required for information only
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Summary of Maintenance
Watermain cleaning - The 2017 watermain cleaning area generally bounded by Victoria
St N, the expressway, the Grand River and Fairway Rd N see below in light green. The
purpose of watermain cleaning is to remove naturally occurring iron and manganese
build up in the watermains. The iron and manganese cause discolouration in the water.
Although iron and manganese are not health related, discoloured water causes a public
perception of issues with the drinking water.
Watermain cleaning consists of two components: preparation of valves to ensure
isolation (infrastructure) and the cleaning of the water inside the mains (water quality).
The preparation component requires significant time to determine appropriate flushing
runs to obtain a clean water supply and move it through the system in a methodical
process by opening and closing valves and flushing. The watermain must be isolated via
valves for each run. Prior to cleaning the mains, all valves within the area must be
exercised, repaired and replaced, if required, so that isolation may be achieved.
Approximately 160 km of watermains were cleaned, 1300 valves operated, 75 valves in
the area were replaced prior to cleaning (2016-2017), 45 valves initially considered
inoperable were brought back into operational condition with new equipment
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A valve turning/exercising program was completed the majority of valves were
operated in the watermain cleaning area with additional valve operation in areas of
reconstruction
Hydrant maintenance - spring and fall for all hydrants was completed - a contractor was
hired to assist. Follow-up work is ongoing.
Dead end main flushing to maintain chlorine residuals was completed in spring and fall
New development areas are flushed until the subdivision is built-up
Hydrant painting was not completed in 2017
The backlog of broken water valves was addressed in 2017 (64 valves were replaced)
Leak detection survey 1/3 of city completed each year. Follow-up is completed on
potential leaks. In 2017, approximately 300km of mains were surveyed resulting in the
identification of possible service leaks: 1 service leak (customer side) and 10 hydrant leaks.
Follow-up work for the hydrant leaks was complete.
A pilot satellite leak detection survey was completed in conjunction with the surrounding
municipalities; however the results were not as beneficial as anticipated.
Anodes are installed on existing watermains whenever they are exposed (e.g. watermain
breaks, valve repairs, hydrant repairs)
PRV maintenance was not completed in 2017. A number of replacement parts were
ordered and maintenance will be completed when the parts arrive and are installed.
Work is scheduled for early 2018.
Chamber inspections continued, chambers containing air relief valves were pumped out.
A data cleansing occurred to confirm which valves are in chambers, some follow-up
work is required. Where valves within chambers require replacement, they will be
replaced with direct bury valves, eliminating the chamber. There are over 700 chambers
within the system. Chambers are generally corrosive environments for water
infrastructure and can become road hazards if not maintained. Current standards are to
direct bury valves without chambers for the majority of installations.
Action: No further action required for information only
Effectiveness of Maintenance
The effectiveness of the maintenance program is determined by the following factors:
Number of Adverse Water Quality Incidents
Water loss/unaccounted for water
Water quality complaints
Number of watermain breaks
The number of AWQIs increased due to problem sites as a result of construction
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Water loss/unaccounted for water decreased to 8.9%. The decrease is due to a
combination of events fewer watermain breaks, overall less consumption due to a wet
st
summer, changes in billing system (1 full year of SAP) and water meter replacements.
The number of quality complaints decreased in 2017 due to proactive watermain
cleaning and completion of the ION work in 2016
There were 79 watermain breaks in 2017, which is lower than the 5 year average of 110
breaks/year. This is largely due to the warmer winter
Action: No further action required for information only
Operational Plan Currency, Content and Updates
There was one significant change to the Operational Plan clarification that the City of
Kitchener will act as Overall Responsible Operator for the Dual (jointly owned between
Kitchener and Region) watermains. Past practice has been for the City to act as ORO for
dual watermains but an agreement must be signed to formalize responsibilities
Action: Bring Agreement forward to Council
Staff Suggestions
Although many documents/maps are updated and created throughout the year for continual
improvement, the following changes were made as a result of staff suggestions:
rd
Staff suggested a simplified process for 3 party inspection controlled reusable booklets
were created and new CityWorks templates.
Staff suggested a simplified form/templated for water adverse/flushing.
Demolition process was documented.
Action: No further action required for information only
Other
Water Meter Replacement - 5069 aging water meters were replaced. There are 66,100
meters in the system with a backlog of approximately 16,000 meters to be replaced
(replacement is targeted at 15 years). Meter replacements have been accelerated to
address the backlog since additional funding was received in 2015.
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Water Consumption Trends water consumption continues to decline. Benefits are that
decreased consumption means that new sources of water are not needed (Great Lakes
Supply was moved out beyond 2051). The downside is decreased consumption means
decreased revenue while many costs are the same (fixed). For example, water sampling
costs are the same regardless of how much water is used. The decline in consumption is
attributed to a number of factors: water conservation and water efficiency efforts,
intensification and economic factors. The trend is projected to continue downwards
until 2018 (based on 2014 forecasting reports), when the population demand will
outpace water conservation measures.
It should be noted that the sanitary fees are based on the water consumption data so
when consumption declines, it impacts both the water and sanitary budgets.
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Locates - Kitchener Utilities and their Locate Service Provider physically locate gas and
water infrastructure for contractors prior to construction and excavation work. When
infrastructure is not properly located, the contractor may damage the infrastructure. Gas
escapes may result in high risk/high impact incidents as well as claims and lawsuits.
Watermain damages may result in contamination of the drinking water supply and the
resulting pressure change may also damage connected mains and appurtenances. It is
essential that experienced personnel (with accurate drawings and proper locating
equipment) be responsible for locating infrastructure.
Increased number of locate requests; due to an increase in locate awareness (via the
Ministry of Labor and the Technical Standards and Safety Authority) and increased
construction activity within the City. From 2009 to 2017, there has been an increase in
the number of yearly locate requests from 9076 to 17541.
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Benchmarking was completed for 2016 data, highlights include:
o Although the annual volume of watermain breaks has decreased (due to the mild
weather), the number of watermain breaks occurring are still higher than the
national mean;
o The preventative maintenance programs of watermain flushing and valve
exercising are significantly below the national median although efforts are being
made in these areas.
Action: No further action required for information only
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Appendix 1
Water Distribution System Map
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Appendix 11
Discoloured Water Locations and Proposed 2018 Cleaning Area Map
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