HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-2023-011 - Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS) Management Review Summary for 2022
Infrastructure Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: March 6, 2023
SUBMITTED BY: Greg St. Louis, Director, Gas & Water Utilities, 519-741-2600 ext. 4538
PREPARED BY: Angela Mick, Manager, Quality Management and Water Programs,
519-741-2600 ext. 4408
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward(s)
DATE OF REPORT: February 2, 2023
REPORT NO.: INS-2023-011
SUBJECT: Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS): Management
Review Summary for 2022
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City of Kitchener Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS):
Management Review Summary for 2022 Report be received for information.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report to inform the decision-making authority about the status of the
drinking water system
The key finding of this report is that the Kitchener distribution system meets the requirements
under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
There are no financial implications of this report
This report supports the delivery of core services.
BACKGROUND:
The Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 and Regulation 188/07, requires the City of Kitchener to be
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. The licence was
renewed in 2019.
Section 19 of the Safe Drinking Water Act imposes a statutory standard of care on persons who
oversees the accredited operating authority of the system or exercises decision-making authority
over the s-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). The
following link is a guide for municipal councillors to help understand their responsibilities under
the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
safeguarded: Taking Care of Your Drinking Water: A Guide for Members of Municipal Councils
| ontario.ca
Three things to remember as a municipal councillor (as outlined in the above Guide):
ere are legal consequences for not acting as required by the standard of
care, including possible fines or imprisonment.
an expert in drinking water operations, but you do need to be informed about them.
Be vigilant. It is critical you never take the drinking water safety for granted or assume all
is well with the drinking water systems under your care and direction.
REPORT:
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 per regulatory requirements, which include; but are not limited to consumer feedback,
results of infrastructure review, results of audits and summary of maintenance.
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
The Owner of the water utility is the
Corporation of the City of Kitchener, represented by City Council.
The 2022 Management Review was completed with Top Management: Denise McGoldrick,
General Manager, Infrastructure Services, Greg St. Louis, Director, Gas & Water Utilities, and
Tammer Gaber, Manager, Operations (Gas & Water) as well as Matt Ryan, Manager, Training
and Programs, Angela Mick, Manager, Quality Management and Water Programs and Dean
Chapman, Quality Management System Specialist. The Management Review report is attached.
Highlights of the report are:
The Summary Water Report-2022 (INS-2023-010) confirmed that the drinking water
system was in compliance with regulatory water sampling requirements during 2022. The
DWQMS Management Review confirms the continuing adequacy and effectiveness of
the quality management system which includes compliance, customer feedback,
operational performance, audit information etc. as outlined in this report.
COVID restrictions were minimal and largely did not impact 2022 operations; however,
construction and operating costs increased.
Year Five Water Infrastructure Program (WIP) maintenance end of year achievements
(specific areas of improvement identified by WIP):
o Cleaned approximately 168km of watermain. 2022 was the final year of the 6 year
program to complete all main cleaning over 6 years. In 2023 the program will
restart with the area previously cleaned in 2017.
o Water quality complaints continue to decrease. There were 105 complaints total
with 28 discoloured water complaints for 2022; which has greatly decreased from
pre-watermain cleaning/pre-treatment plant upgrade levels in 2016 (395
complaints total with 147 discoloured water).
o 21 broken valves and/or failing valves were either replaced or removed which
allows for quicker isolation for water emergencies. Broken valves are tracked in
real time and the majority are addressed within weeks (except for winter).
o Approximately 1,873 valves were proactively operated (23%); the majority were
within the watermain cleaning area and the 2022 reconstruction areas. Operating
valves ensures that they will work when they are needed in an emergency or for
construction activities.
o Completed spring and fall maintenance of fire hydrants.
o Underground utility locates continued to meet regulatory requirements with a
combination of in-house and contract staff (17,885 locates completed;
representing the largest number of locates completed over the past 10 years).
o Approximately 3,300 services are protected by Backflow Prevention (BFP) the
focus is on high risk use.
o Regulatory reliefs were provided by the Ministry to decrease the number of monthly
samples and to limit the fall lead testing programs (customer premises) to hydrants
only due to COVID restrictions. A relief has also been granted for the spring 2023
lead testing program (hydrants only).
An inspection of approximately 130 air relief valves in chambers was completed. No air
reliefs were replaced in 2022. A study was commenced to determine which air reliefs
require replacement and which may be removed.
There were 93 watermain breaks in 2022, which is above than the 5-year average of 84.
Approximately 6,065 aging/problem water meters were replaced.
Hydrant painting program for corrosion protection was re-started with 450 hydrants
painted, painting will continue in 2023. Hydrants are also stencilled with the watermain
diameter for the Fire Department.
Unaccounted for water was 10% (At the 10% industry target). The unaccounted for water
generally fluctuates around 10% (9-12%, with 10% being the approx. 10 year average).
Pressure reducing valve maintenance was completed.
The Water Utility Asset Management Plan was completed in 2022. The water assets have
a value of more than $1 Billion and are generally in very good condition. Overall,
watermains are more than halfway through their useful life. This is being addressed
through the WIP.
Staff training programs included: Ethics for Drinking Water Operators, Water Quality for
Distribution System Operators and New Watermain Commissioning Course. DWQMS
Awareness training occurred for new staff.
Replaced watermains as outlined in the 2022 City of Kitchener Engineering & Water Utility
Capital Forecast.
External audit determined that the management system is effectively implemented and
maintained and recommended continued certification of accreditation for the municipal
drinking water system.
Increased erosion and sediment control procedures during watermain breaks to minimize
sediment from entering storm sewer and to provide rehabilitation steps if sediment does
enter storm sewer or watercourses. Sediment control/rehabilitation costs associated with
watermain breaks can be significant.
Locate related costs are expected to increase significantly in 2023 due to new regulatory
requirements. Locating costs are split between gas and water. A Locate Review is
resourcing needs associated with new legislative requirements.
Continuing Areas of Focus are:
Continue with tasks associated with the next WIP review.
Re-endorsement of the DWQMS Operational Plan by Council.
Approval of the Water Distribution System Financial Plan as part of Application for
Renewal of Licence due later this year.
Proceed with improvements to the As-built process in conjunction with Engineering,
specifically hiring the additional resource approved through the budget process. There
has been difficulty filling this position. Hiring staff is the last outstanding item related to
the 2020 MECP inspection which flagged that The owner did not have up-to-date
documents describing the distribution components as required. As-builts and GIS
mapping is required within 12-months from when a new watermain is commissioned. A
number of process changes have been completed over the last 2 years to improve turn-
around time.
Development and roll out AMANDA solution for better tracking of Backflow
Prevention/Cross Connection program.
Development of a water disruption communication tool. The existing Watermain Break
App provides for updates to the website and email for emergency watermain breaks but
there is no notification for planned water outages or emergency outages associated with
other infrastructure (valves, services).
Check valves along the LRT. The valves are largely new but are deemed to be critical
due to potential impacts to the LRT.
Hydrant mobile field inspections are anticipated to be rolled out in spring 2023. It is
anticipated that the solution will provide efficiencies by minimizing data entry and provide
faster deficiency follow-up.
Proceed with OnPoint roll-out to replace ArcReader infrastructure mapping.
Proceed with filling technical water position approved as part of the 2023 budget process.
Participation in locates review with Internal Auditor.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The recommendation has no impact on the Capital or Operating Budgets.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM agenda in advance of the
council / committee meeting. The Drinking Water Quality Management Policy is available on the
Kitchener Utilities website.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
There are no previous reports/authorities related to this matter; however the Management
Review Summary Reports are provided on an annual basis with the last report being INS-
2022-038
APPROVED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A Drinking Water Quality Management Standard Review - 2022
Kitchener Utilities
City of Kitchener Drinking Water Distribution
System
Drinking Water Quality Management
Standard
Management Review 2022
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.
City of Kitchener Water Distribution
DWQMS Management Review
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part A - Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3
Purpose .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... 3
Background ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Other Related Water Quality Reports ................................................................................................. 6
Quality Management System Policy ................................................................................................... 7
Part B Management Review ............................................................................................................... 8
System Description ............................................................................................................................ 8
Water Infrastructure Program ............................................................................................................. 8
COVID Impacts .................................................................................................................................. 8
Incidents of Regulatory Non Compliance ............................................................................................ 9
Incidences of Adverse Drinking Water ................................................................................................ 9
Deviations from Critical Control Points Limits and Response ........................................................... 11
Effectiveness of the Risk Assessment Process ................................................................................ 16
Results of External and Internal Audits ............................................................................................. 17
-Conformances, Non-Compliances by Year ..................................................................... 19
Operational Performance ................................................................................................................. 20
Raw Water Supply and Drinking Water Quality Trends..................................................................... 20
Follow-up on Action Items from Previous Management Reviews ...................................................... 20
Status of Management Action Items Identified Between Reviews ..................................................... 20
Changes That Could Affect the Quality Management System .......................................................... 20
Consumer Feedback ........................................................................................................................ 21
Resources Needed to Maintain the Quality Management System .................................................... 22
Results of the Infrastructure Review ................................................................................................. 23
Summary of Maintenance ................................................................................................................. 23
Effectiveness of Maintenance ........................................................................................................... 26
Operational Plan Currency, Content and Updates ............................................................................ 27
Staff Suggestions ............................................................................................................................. 27
Other ................................................................................................................................................ 27
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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, Conservation and Parks (MECP) requires management to review
and evaluate the continuing suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness of the Quality
Management System at least once a calendar year and that the results of the management
review, identified deficiencies, decisions and action items are provided to Council as the
Ownerm.
Executive Summary
Highlights of the report are:
The Summary Water Report-2022 (INS-2023-010) confirmed that the drinking water
system was in compliance with regulatory water sampling requirements during 2022.
The DWQMS Management Review confirms the continuing adequacy and effectiveness
of the quality management system which includes compliance, customer feedback,
operational performance, audit information etc. as outlined in this report.
COVID restrictions were minimal and largely did not impact 2022 operations; however,
construction and operating costs increased.
Year Five Water Infrastructure Program (WIP) maintenance end of year achievements
(specific areas of improvement identified by WIP):
o Cleaned approximately 168km of watermain. 2022 was the final year of the 6
year program to complete all main cleaning over 6 years. In 2023 the program
will restart with the area previously cleaned in 2017.
o Water quality complaints continue to decrease. There were 105 complaints total
with 28 discoloured water complaints for 2022; which has greatly decreased from
pre-watermain cleaning/pre-treatment plant upgrade levels in 2016 (395
complaints total with 147 discoloured water).
o 21 broken valves and/or failing valves were either replaced or removed which
allows for quicker isolation for water emergencies. Broken valves are tracked in
real time and the majority are addressed within weeks (except for winter).
o Approximately 1,873 valves were proactively operated (23%); the majority were
within the watermain cleaning area and the 2022 reconstruction areas. Operating
valves ensures that they will work when they are needed in an emergency or for
construction activities.
o Completed spring and fall maintenance of fire hydrants.
o Underground utility locates continued to meet regulatory requirements with a
combination of in-house and contract staff (17,885 locates completed;
representing the largest number of locates completed over the past 10 years).
o Approximately 3,300 services are protected by Backflow Prevention (BFP) the
focus is on high risk use.
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DWQMS Management Review
o Regulatory reliefs were provided by the Ministry to decrease the number of
monthly samples and to limit the fall lead testing programs (customer premises)
to hydrants only due to COVID restrictions. A relief has also been granted for the
spring 2023 lead testing program (hydrants only).
An inspection of approximately 130 air relief valves in chambers was completed. No air
reliefs were replaced in 2022. A study was commenced to determine which air reliefs
require replacement and which may be removed.
There were 93 watermain breaks in 2022, which is above than the 5-year average of 84.
Approximately 6,065 aging/problem water meters were replaced.
Hydrant painting program for corrosion protection was re-started with 450 hydrants
painted, painting will continue in 2023. Hydrants are also stencilled with the watermain
diameter for the Fire Department.
Unaccounted for water was 10% (At the 10% industry target). The unaccounted for
water generally fluctuates around 10% (9-12%, with 10% being the approx. 10 year
average).
Pressure reducing valve maintenance was completed.
The Water Utility Asset Management Plan was completed in 2022. The water assets
have a value of more than $1 Billion and are generally in very good condition. Overall,
watermains are more than halfway through their useful life. This is being addressed
through the WIP.
Staff training programs included: Ethics for Drinking Water Operators, Water Quality for
Distribution System Operators and New Watermain Commissioning Course. DWQMS
Awareness training occurred for new staff.
Replaced watermains as outlined in the 2022 City of Kitchener Engineering & Water
Utility Capital Forecast.
External audit determined that the management system is effectively implemented and
maintained and recommended continued certification of accreditation for the municipal
drinking water system.
Increased erosion and sediment control procedures during watermain breaks to
minimize sediment from entering storm sewer and to provide rehabilitation steps if
sediment does enter storm sewer or watercourses. Sediment control/rehabilitation costs
associated with watermain breaks can be significant.
Locate related costs are expected to increase significantly in 2023 due to new
regulatory requirements. Locating costs are split between gas and water. A Locate
Review is currently being led by the Citys Internal Auditor to evaluate the service level,
risk and resourcing needs associated with new legislative requirements.
Continuing Areas of Focus are:
Continue with tasks associated with the next WIP review.
Re-endorsement of the DWQMS Operational Plan by Council.
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DWQMS Management Review
Approval of the Water Distribution System Financial Plan as part of Application for
Renewal of Licence due later this year.
Proceed with improvements to the As-built process in conjunction with Engineering,
specifically hiring the additional resource approved through the budget process. There
has been difficulty filling this position. Hiring staff is the last outstanding item related to
the 2020 MECP inspection which flagged that The owner did not have up-to-date
documents describing the distribution components as required. As-builts and GIS
mapping is required within 12-months from when a new watermain is commissioned. A
number of process changes have been completed over the last 2 years to improve turn-
around time.
Development and roll out AMANDA solution for better tracking of Backflow
Prevention/Cross Connection program.
Development of a water disruption communication tool. The existing Watermain Break
App provides for updates to the website and email for emergency watermain breaks but
there is no notification for planned water outages or emergency outages associated with
other infrastructure (valves, services).
Check valves along the LRT. The valves are largely new but are deemed to be critical
due to potential impacts to the LRT.
Hydrant mobile field inspections are anticipated to be rolled out in spring 2023. It is
anticipated that the solution will provide efficiencies by minimizing data entry and
provide faster deficiency follow-up.
Proceed with OnPoint roll-out to replace ArcReader infrastructure mapping.
Proceed with filling technical water position approved as part of the 2023 budget
process.
Participation in locates review with Internal Auditor.
Background
One of recommendations rt Two Report of the Walkerton Inquiry
was stry of the Environment should require the owners of municipal water systems to
obtain an owence for the operation of their . onnor 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 and Regulation 188/07, requires the City of Kitchener to be
licensed to operate and maintain Kitcheer 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 originally submitted in July 2010.
Renewals of the Licence and Financial Plan were complete and brought forward to Council in
2014 and 2018, and every 4-5 years thereafter prior to each Drinking Water System License
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DWQMS Management Review
renewal. The Financial Plan will be brought forward to Council in 2023 and an application for
licence renewal will be made in late 2023.
Section 19 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 imposes a statutory standard of care on
persons who oversee the municipal drinking water system: y person who, on behalf of
the municipality, oversees the accredited operating authority of the system or exercises
decision-making authority over the syre includes Council since they
have decision-making authority of the system. Part of the standard of care
includes requiring system owners to undertake financial planning and implement a QMS.
The following link is a guide for municipal councillors to help understand their responsibilities
under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 and provides information on how Ontarios drinking
water is safeguarded: Taking Care of Your Drinking Water: A Guide for Members of Municipal
Councils | ontario.ca
Three things to remember as a municipal councillor (as outlined in the above Guide):
Its your duty. There are legal consequences for not acting as required by the standard
of care, including possible fines or imprisonment.
Be informed. Your decisions can have an impact on public health. You dont have to be
an expert in drinking water operations, but you do need to be informed about them.
Be vigilant. It is critical you never take the drinking water safety for granted or assume
all is well with the drinking water systems under your care and direction.
Other Related Water Quality Reports
The City of Kitchener Summary Water Report for 2022 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
available 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 and
operation of a trunk water network to distribute treated water to Kitchener, Cambridge,
Waterloo, Woolwich, and Wilmot. There is a variety of groundwater supply wells (80%),
treatment facilities as well as a Grand River (20%) source. The Region of er
infrastructure 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
available at the Kitchener Utilities website.
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DWQMS Management Review
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). The City of Waty report
is available on their website.
Quality Management System Policy
Kitchener Utilities owns, maintains, and operates the City of Kitchenerking Water
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.
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.
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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.
At the end of 2022, the waterworks consists of approximately:
924.6 km of distribution watermain 792 km Kitchener owned, 23 km Dual owned (joint
ownership between Kitchener and Region) and 109 km Regional owned .
70,572 water meters in service.
4,717 hydrants (not including private hydrants).
8,005 valves (not including service valves or hydrant valves) 7,445 Kitchener owned,
130 Dual and 430 Regional.
(See Appendix for a 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
Water Infrastructure Program
The Water Infrastructure Program (WIP) was initiated in spring 2017. Targets for Year 5 of
maintenance-related work were achieved, included:
Watermain cleaning program - cleaned 168km of the City.
Valve maintenance and replacement programs operated approximately 1,873 valves
and replaced 21 broken or failing valves.
Hydrant operation and maintenance completed as required.
Underground utility locates continued to meet regulatory requirements with a
combination of in-house and contract staff (17,885 locates completed).
Approximately 3,300 services are protected by Backflow Prevention (BFP),
approximately 2,400 still require protection. The exact number of devices will not be
reportable until the new system is fully operational, anticipated in 2023.
COVID Impacts
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DWQMS Management Review
COVID impacts were lessened in 2022, however there were ongoing difficulties with
parts/supplies on back order and cost increases. There are indications that the cost
increases and supply chain issues will continue into 2023 and may impact
reconstruction project costs. Staff are monitoring trends closely to determine
appropriate mitigation actions.
A regulatory relief was provided for the spring and fall lead sampling program
hydrants were only sampled, no internal sampling. A request for relief from the spring
2023 program has been granted.
Incidents of Regulatory Non Compliance
A Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) completed an announced
inspection on June 23, 2023, and covered June 23, 2021, to June 23, 2022. There were no
notices of non-compliance.
A notice of violation was created by the MECP on September 16, 2022, relating to three
watermain breaks which occurred on September 14, 2022. Due to a lack of erosion and
sediment control measures, significant sediment was discharged to Sandrock Creek.
Corrective action included hiring a third party to assess the creek, completion of recommended
remediation activities, creation of new procedures to prevent future issues and training staff on
the procedures.
Incidences of Adverse Drinking Water
There were 15 Adverse Water Quality Incidences (AWQI) during the year. One self-imposed
Boil Water Advisories (BWA) was initiated in 2022 and one Drinking Water Advisory (DWA)
was initiated. The volume of AWQIs decreased from 2021, the majority of the decrease was
related to temporary watermains used during construction. Temporary watermains are
particularly sensitive as they are above ground systems influenced by the water heating up in
warmer temperatures. This may increase the potential for bacteriological growth. Warmer
weather seems to increase the incidences of Total Coliform. The additional challenge with
temporary watermains is the sample port is located outside and subject to unsanitary
conditions. Many contractors remove the sampling ports when not in use because they are
subject to vandalism/theft. These ports need to be maintained in a sanitary condition between
uses. The general nature of reconstruction projects often leads tse positives, where the
results received are more reflective of what is on the sampling tap, rather than what is in the
water. Every positive result is reportable, and resampling must occur in accordance with
regulations. When the resamples are clear, it is an indication that the issue was with the
sampling port, not in the water. Additional communications efforts to contractors regarding the
importance of maintain the sampling ports in a sanitary manner was made over the 2022
construction season. These communication efforts will continue for 2023 and beyond.
Low chlorine AWQIs (8 total)
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DWQMS Management Review
o Six were in areas of new subdivisions with no houses yet built. Along with dead
ends, KU proactively flushes new areas until there are homes built and water is
being used.
Total coliform AWQIs (5 total)
o 4 were at temporary main sampling locations.
o 1 was at a distribution sampling location.
Boil Water Advisory (BWA 1 total)
o E-Coli present in distribution sample for KID 129 Victoria Hills Community
Centre.
Drinking Water Advisory (DWA 1 total)
o Non-Potable Grease found on Fitting at 2 services
Lead:
o No lead adverses were reported in 2022. Due to COVID, the spring and fall lead
program was reduced to sampling for lead at hydrants (relief was granted by
MECP). No exceedances were reported.
In general, corrective actions include reporting, flushing and resampling. The above AWQIs
were all resolved. The Summary Water Report for 2022 discusses water quality compliance
and corrective actions further.
Action: No further action required for information only
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Deviations from Critical Control Points Limits and Response
There were 93 watermain breaks in 2022, which is slightly higher than the 5-year
average of 84. Of the 93, 17 were deemed to be Category 2. Category 2 watermain
breaks require bacteriological sampling upon completion. The 5-year average increased
slightly due to an increase in watermain breaks in 2022 over 2021 as well as the
removal of a low break year (2017 was 79 breaks). Watermain breaks are influenced by
the watermain age/condition, material type, and is also heavily weather dependent due
to the frost movement with colder winters resulting in more breaks. Incident debriefs are
completed for watermain breaks and break history is included as part of asset condition.
This information helps to determine priorities for replacement due to condition.
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Unaccounted for water for was 10%; the MECP 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). The 10-year average for Kitchener is 9.9%, although the
percentage fluctuates.
Infrastructure Leak Index (ILI) is a performance indicator which is the ratio of the level of
Current Annual Real Losses (CARL) to the Unavoidable Annual Real Losses (UARL).
The UARL considers the total length of watermain in the distribution system, number of
hydrants, average pressures, number of service connections, length of service and
hydrant connections. The UARL is the theoretical low limit of leakage that could be
achieved if all the current best leakage management could be implemented. The URAL
is specific to each water system. For example, the UARL for a large system with high
pressure will be higher than a small system with low pressure. Leakage in any water
system can never be totally eliminated. One caveat is that the calculation is made
based on an average pressure. Kitchener has several pressure zones with a great deal
of variation across the city. As part of the National Water and Wastewater
Benchmarking Initiative (Benchmarking), Kitchener recently began reporting ILI and
trending will be established as more data is generating. Benchmarking is completed on
the previous years data. The 2021 ILI value was 1.75 meaning the current level of real
losses is 1.75 times greater than the theoretical low level losses. The ILI graph is a
comparison to other Cities participating in 2021 benchmarking.
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Action: No further action required for information only
Effectiveness of the Risk Assessment Process
A risk assessment was completed on September 22, 2022. For 2022, attendees
included staff from the Region of Waterloo and City of Kitchener. The purpose of the
risk assessment was to brainstorm potential risks and identify counter measures, where
appropriate. The following is a summary:
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DWQMS Management Review
o Reviewed all risks to ensure all information and assumptions are current and
valid. Also discussed and added the following new potential risks:
Cyber Security.
Telecommunications provider outage.
OnPoint GIS mapping system to replace existing ArcReader system (not
scored additional info required).
Equipment and Supplies shortages.
Cost of chemicals, construction costs, etc. due to inflation.
o Preventive / Control measures and risk score updated for several existing risks
and added for the new risks above.
Action: For Information Only
Results of External and Internal Audits
The DWQMS Standard is divided into Plan, Do, Check, and Improve sections. Audits are
completed to analyze processes to confirm that what is stated in the procedures and work
instructions is what is being done. External Audits are completed by a third party while Internal
Audits are completed by accredited City saff.
External:
In 2022, two audits were conducted and completed by a certified external auditor (SAI
Global) Certificate of Accreditation achieved.
o Systems Audit October 5 October 6, 2022. No non-conformances were
found. One opportunity for improvement was identified.
o Reaccreditation Audit November 1 November 2. 2022. No non-conformances
were found. Three opportunities for improvement were identified.
Internal
:
5 Field audits were conducted in 2022:
o New Development Flushing
o Tool Room
o Water Tapping
o Water Service Cut-offs
o Curb Stop Repair
4 Element audits were conducted in 2022.
17 opportunities for improvement were identified from internal audits in 2022. As of
December 31, 2022,
o 5 (29%) of these opportunities have been acted upon and implemented;
o 2 (11%) of these opportunities could not be implemented; and
o 10 (60%) of these opportunities are still being investigated.
Zero nonconformances and zero non-compliances were found during the internal
audits.
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Seven nonconformances were found outside of the internal audits. All have been
resolved with follow-up completed:
o Plug style main stop with non-NSF grease
o Chlorine residuals above 2.0mg/L need to be reported since equipment does not
accurately read above this level
o Notice of violation relating to sediment release
o Digital sign-off was delayed on weekly chlorine residuals
o Categorization of watermain break was incorrect
o Water sample was not taken immediately after a main break
o Low chlorine residual adverse was not called in by staff member immediately
A previous 2020 non-conformance is still outstanding (CAR 42). The Owner did not
have up-to-date documents describing the distribution components as required. At the
time of the inspection, the City was in the process of updating the distribution map
which is referenced in Table 1 of the DWWP. Condition 3.5 in Schedule B of the DWWP
requires the City to update the map within 12 months of any additions, modifications,
replacements or extensions to the distribution system. For further clarification, the 12
month clock starts when a watermain is commissioned and the public is able to
consume the water from the respective watermain. A number of process improvements
were made. The remaining item is to fill a dedicated AutoCAD resource position to
complete as-recorded drawings/submissions for internal projects as well as process
those completed by consultants on City reconstruction projects. Process improvements
have been made over 2020/21 include:
o A First Submission Asset Drawing Checklist was developed for consultants
o Kitchener Utilities will not conduct final water inspections until as-builts have
been received and mapped in GIS
o Letter of Credit is not reduced until the As-Recorded information has been
accepted
o GIS boundaries to flag projects under construction, until as-builts have been
received.
o New Water As-Built Drawing Work Instruction Procedure with monthly email
alerts
o Regional mapping of projects where City infrastructure is replaced
o Development Storyboard as a reference for consultants to fill out as-built
information
o Revised attribute template to streamline data connection
o Topology fixer to minimize errors back to consultant
o Attribute checker to allow consultants to check their own data
o Entering red-line construction documents
Continuous Improvement
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Continual Improvement is a key element of all quality management systems and we are
regulated to have a process to identify and implement preventative actions to eliminate the
occurrences of potential non-conformities. Opportunities for improvement can come from many
sources, such as external audits, staff suggestions, public concerns, management reviews,
debriefs, or the risk assessment meeting. In total for 2022, excluding the results from internal
audits, there were:
98 opportunities for improvement, of which:
o 51 (52%) were acted upon and implemented;
o 6 (6%) could not be implemented; and
o 41 (42%) are still being investigated.
OFIs, Non-Conformances, Non-Compliances by Year
Action: The Continual Improvement Log is updated monthly to discuss new items, track
process and circle back to determine the effectiveness of implementation. The log is be
reviewed annually with Top Management as part of the Management Review.
Results of the Emergency Response Training/Testing
New On-Call Management Staff took the IMS-100 Introduction to the Incident
Management System (IMS) for Ontario training
Water Emergency Management training was provided to supervisors and
management in January 2022.
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
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Operational Performance
Ongoing work with the Region for the Zone 2 and 4 Optimization this will improve
water pressures and supply in the southeastern end of the city. The majority of the work
is Regional; however, there is coordination work with the City. This work is dependent
on timing of development in the areas and as development proceeds, additional
sections of the main are installed. The section between Strasburg Road and Robert
Ferrie Drive is awaiting the completion of the Environmental Assessment for the Road
extension.
The one 4 Trunk Watermain project includes the installation of 750mm
concrete pressure pipe watermain from the Mannheim Water Treatment plant across
the southern portion of the City to Strasburg Rd. The watermain was brought into
service on January 23, 2023.
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.
Action: No further action required for information only
Follow-up on Action Items from Previous Management Reviews
Action items were completed as part of the revised report and associated council report.
Action: No further action required for information only
Status of Management Action Items Identified Between Reviews
There were no items identified between the management reviews.
Action: No further action required for information only
Changes That Could Affect the Quality Management System
The Federal government has a manganese limit, however the current provincial
regulations, which Kitchener is required to follow only has an aesthetic limit. It is
anticipated that the Province will follow the federal guidelines and implement a
maximum allowable concentration. The Strange Street upgrades were complete in
anticipation of this regulatory change.
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There are indications that the lead maximum allowable concentration will be reduced,
which will likely increase the number of lead tests that exceed the regulatory limits.
Customers are not required to complete any corrective actions when elevated lead
exists. The City is required to flush and resample if there is a lead adverse in the
distribution system. The City tracks streets with lead or suspected lead and includes
them as part of the considerations for replacement. It is most cost effective to replace a
number of lead services as part of a road reconstruction project, rather than individual
services.
Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 and Bill 109, More Homes for Everyone Act,
2022. It is anticipated that changes in the Development Charge (DC) Framework and
decreased DC revenue could hamper the Citys ability to supply infrastructure in a
timely and coordinated manner to support grown (e.g., Strasburg Road South &
Watermain project).
o Kitchener does not have surplus funds in the DC reserve fund that are not
allocated to a future project.
o It is anticipated that the P investment to help unlock and build housing
supply will increase the volume of subdivision and site plan review and
processing for Drinking Water Works Permits.
o Bill 23 may impact the Regions Official Plan update and the existing urban
boundary.
o Bill 93 ilding Broadband Faster Act, 2021 and the
Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012 which is
related to locating infrastructure, has set out several new requirements that the
City of Kitchener (the infrastructure owner) must meet. The first being a strict
adherence to a 5 day locate completion timeframe. Locates not completed within
this timeframe are now subject to an Ontario One Call fine and it is now possible
for excavators to seek compensation from a loss or expense incurred due to the
locate being late. It is expected that locating costs will increase significantly in
2023. A Locate Review is currently being led by the Citys Internal Auditor to
evaluate the service level, risk and resourcing needs associated with new
legislative requirements.
Action: No further action required for information only
Consumer Feedback
The number of customer water complaints continues to decrease. Dispatch staff guide
customers through a number of questions to determine whether the problem is
suspected to be internal (plumbing) or external (distribution system).
The problem, cause, and remedy are tracked for each complaint.
Discoloured water complaints are often the result of changes in flow in the system. This
can be due to reconstruction, watermain cleaning, watermain breaks, valve replacement
and other construction.
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Low pressure complaints are largely internal issues (softeners, internal plumbing).
Other complaints include water hardness, no water, odour/taste, air in lines (white
water), customer sample requests. We are seeing more residents moving into Kitchener
who may not be familiar with water hardness and education is a component of resolving
the concerns.
In general, a number of customer complaints can be resolved by educating the
customer (water hardness), flushing/sampling (discoloured water) or confirming private
side issue (water softener, pressure reducing valve, drain issues)
Action: Continue with proposed watermain cleaning area in 2023.
Resources Needed to Maintain the Quality Management System
A mobile solution for inspection data entry would decrease administrative burden. A
mobile water valve program was implemented in 2020 and there are a number of
programs that could be mobile. Anticipated that a mobile application for hydrant
inspections will be rolled-out in 2023.
An Issue Paper requesting a technical position to address the growing demand on the
water utility was submitted for the 2023 budget.
Action: Proceed with posting for the position following approval of 2023 budget process.
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Results of the Infrastructure Review
The Water Utility Asset Management Plan was completed and captured watermains,
valves, hydrants, and meters. Asset Management Plans are required for all core and
non-core asset classes (roads, storm, parks, facilities etc.), prepared in accordance with
Ontario Regulation 588/17 Asset Management Planning for Municipal Infrastructure.
The water assets have a value of more than $1 Billion and are generally in very good
condition. Overall, watermains are more than halfway through their useful life. This can
be attributed to an increase in infrastructure investments made between the 1950s and
1970s. These assets may be beginning to deteriorate and could require replacement or
rehabilitation. This is being addressed through the WIP.
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).
2022 reconstruction projects were largely completed as per the 2022
Engineering/Storm/Sanitary/Water Capital Forecast
The Region replaces some Kitchener infrastructure as part of their projects (Kitchener
funded).
2023 projects were finalized; however, it should be noted that there were a number of
Regional projects moved out to future years in the Regional capital program.
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 roadwork to minimize disruptions to
citizens and be cost effective.
Action: No further action required for information only
Summary of Maintenance
Watermain cleaning Approximately 168kms of watermain was cleaned in 2022. The
2022 watermain cleaning area map is shown below. The next map shows the proposed
2023 area in pink/red. The 2023 area was previously cleaned in 2017 thus re-starting
the 6-year cleaning cycle. The purpose of watermain cleaning is to remove iron and
manganese build up in the watermains. The iron and manganese cause discolouration
in the water. Although iron and manganese are naturally occurring and not health
related, discoloured water causes a public perception of issues with the drinking water.
Provincial health related regulations are anticipated for iron and manganese.
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Completed 2022 Watermain Cleaning Area (light green)
Proposed 2023 Watermain Cleaning Area
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Hydrant maintenance spring maintenance was completed on all hydrants and all
hydrants were dipped in the fall.
Hydrants are flushed to maintain chlorine residuals was completed in spring and fall.
New development areas are flushed monthly until the subdivision is built-up.
A valve turning/exercising program was completed for 1,863 valves the majority of
valves were operated in the watermain cleaning area with additional valve operation in
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areas of reconstruction. Operating valves ensures that they will work when they are
needed in an emergency or for construction activities.
There were 21 broken valves and/or failing valves were either replaced or removed
which allows for quicker isolation for water emergencies. Broken valves are tracked in
real time and the majority are addressed within weeks (except for winter). At the end of
2022 there were 11 broken valves remaining, 7 of which will be replaced as part of
future reconstruction work.
450 hydrants were painted.
Leak detection survey 1/3 of city completed each year. Follow-up is completed on
potential leaks. Approximately 330km of mains were surveyed resulting in 4 possible
hydrant leaks the majority of which were repaired by tightening the nuts of the
hydrants. No leaks were found.
Staff continue to inspect new connections and cut and caps for reconstruction and new
development. Staff complete all new service tappings for development as well as
witness old service abandonment. This work requires 48 hours to schedule and is
driven by new development and watermain replacement work.
Erosion and sediment control procedures were developed and rolled-out to staff.
Anodes are installed on existing watermains whenever they are exposed (e.g.,
watermain breaks, valve repairs, hydrant repairs).
Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) were inspected.
Chamber inspections/pump outs for chambers containing air relief valves
approximately 130. Air reliefs are a potential risk to the system if they become
submerged and there is a watermain break or incident in the distribution system. A
study was commenced in 2022 to determine which air reliefs could possibly be
removed.
Staff continue to use the watermain break app for reporting breaks, which improves
customer communication for breaks
Action: No further action required for information only
Effectiveness of Maintenance
Completion of numerous maintenance programs associated with the water and the
infrastructure are essential for the delivery of safe drinking water, although not all maintenance
programs have been identified. The effectiveness of the maintenance program is determined
by the following key factors:
Number of Adverse Water Quality Incidents
Water loss/unaccounted for water
Water quality complaints
Number of watermain breaks
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The system performance has demonstrated effectiveness by achieving:
There were 15 AWQIs (downward trend and an indication of water quality).
Water loss/unaccounted for water was 10% (at the target of 10%).
The number of quality complaints was at 105, 26% of which were related to discoloured
water and 44% pressure (largely internal issues). The remainders included complaints
relating to hard water (new residents are not always familiar with hard water), and
general safety concerns. The watermain cleaning program has decreased the number
of complaints.
There were 93 watermain breaks in 2022, which is a bit higher than the 5-year average
of 84 breaks/year.
Action: No further action required for information only
Operational Plan Currency, Content and Updates
The Operational Plan is updated annually.
Action: No further action required for information only
Staff Suggestions
Staff suggestions are included under the new Continual Improvement section of the report.
Other
Water Meter Replacement 6,065 aging water meters were replaced. There are 70,572
meters in the system. There are currently water meter supply issues. An Advanced
Metering Infrastructure (AMI) option will be brought forward as part of the WIP report.
Given the meter shortages and potential of meter change outs as part of AMI, there are
no large-scale meter replacement plans for 2023.
Development growth is anticipated to continue with both new subdivision, site plans and
redevelopment, which creates technical demands for Drinking Water Works Permit
approvals, commissioning plan approvals and on-demand inspection requirements for
final connections, tappings and cut and caps.
Water Consumption Trends water consumption has increased since 2018 as
population growth demands increase. Average residential daily consumption values
were decreasing prior to the pandemic but increased in 2020. The 2021 values
decreased slightly; however 2022 benchmarking values are not yet available. Kitchener
average residential daily consumption levels are lower than many comparison
th
municipalities (around the 25 percentile).
The Region of Waterloo is initiating an update to their Water Supply Strategy, to look at current
water supply sources, assessing future water demands and investigating possible new water
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sources. The previous Water Supply Master Plan was completed in 2015. The Strategy will
develop and evaluate recommendations to meet future water supply needs in Waterloo Region
to 2051. The Water Supply Strategy will build on previous master plans, and will look at:
Current sustainable water supply sources and water demands.
Population growth and how it impacts future water demands.
The gap be
a sustainable, efficient way.
The effect of climate change on our water supply resources.
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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.
Approximately 17,885 locates were completed in 2022, which is up from 2021 levels
and the highest levels ever experienced. Locate volumes are driven by customer
requests and construction. Bill 93 will likely create additional financial impacts (see
Changes That Could Affect the Quality Management System section).
Action: No further action required for information only
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Appendix
Water Distribution System Map
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