HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-2025-008 - Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS): Management Review Summary for 2024Infrastructure Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: February 24, 2025
SUBMITTED BY: Greg St. Louis, Director, Gas & Water Utilities, 519-783-8792
PREPARED BY: Angela Mick, Manager, Quality Management and Water Programs, 519-
783-8792
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward(s)
DATE OF REPORT: January 30, 2025
REPORT NO.: INS-2025-008
SUBJECT: Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS): Management
Review Summary for 2024
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City of Kitchener Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS):
Management Review Summary for 2024 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 2024.
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
-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
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002
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):
care, including possible fines or imprisonment.
anexpert 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.
sults of the management review, the
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 2024 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 Ras Sonthisay, Supervisor,
Training (Gas and Water Utilities), 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-2024 (INS-2025-029) confirmed that the drinking water
system was in compliance with regulatory water sampling requirements during 2024. 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.
The Water Infrastructure Program (WIP) maintenance achievements (specific areas of
improvement identified by WIP):
o Cleaned approximately 135km of watermain in 2024.
o Water quality complaints increased slightly in 2024. There were 140 complaints
total with 28 discoloured water complaints for 2024; which has increased slightly
from 2023. The majority of complaints are internal issues (e.g. low pressure from
a water softener).
o 20 broken valves and/or failing valves were either replaced or removed which
allows for quicker isolation for water emergencies. This number does not include
the majority of valve replacements through road reconstruction projects. Broken
valves are tracked in real time and the majority are addressed within weeks (except
for winter or if they are part of future reconstructions).
o Approximately 1,877 valves were proactively operated (23%); the majority were
within the watermain cleaning area and the 2024 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 (approximately 14,300 locates
completed).
o 2,295 services are protected by Backflow Prevention Devices (BFP) the focus is
on high-risk use. These devices prevent cross connections and potential
contamination of the distribution system. A dashboard was developed to track
customer notification by grids and compliance.
o Lead testing program was completed in spring and fall.
Air relief valves in chambers inspections/chamber pump outs (approximately 1020) were
not completed in 2024; however they have been started in 2025. There were 2 boulevard
style air reliefs installed in 2024 to eliminate flooding risk within the chambers.
There were 55 watermain breaks in 2024, which is lower than the 5-year average of 66.
The 5-year average also dropped from 73 to 66/year.
Approximately 1,115 aging/problem water meters were replaced. A new process was
developed for metering large buildings under construction. The process to install new
build meters was streamlined which resulted in faster billing for consumption.
Approximately 350 hydrants were painted as part of the corrosion protection program,
painting will continue in 2025. Hydrants are also stencilled with the watermain diameter
for the Fire Department.
Unaccounted for water was 4.5% which is significantly lower than the average. The
unaccounted for water generally fluctuates around 10% (9-12%), with 10% being the
approx. 10 year average). This significant drop is under further investigation.
Pressure reducing valve maintenance was completed.
Replaced watermains as outlined in the 2024 City of Kitchener Engineering & Water Utility
Capital Forecast.
The Drinking Water Licence was renewed.
External audit determined that the management system is effectively implemented and
maintained and recommended continued certification of accreditation for the municipal
drinking water system.
As a result of a locating process review, council approved the new positions of:
Supervisor, Damage Prevention, four new Locators, Damage Prevention and one new
Draftsperson.These positions allowed the corporation to respond in more timely manner
in accordance with the new Ontario One Call Regulations. All positions except for the
Draftsperson were filled.
Watermain Break App was modified to include the most critical infrastructure information
(water and gas) to staff via Smartphones or tablets.
Developed a SharePoint site to manage watermain commissioning as well as emergency
response.
Commenced the water component of the Official Plan to identify any water upgrades
required and /or potential limitations for future growth.
Continuing Areas of Focus are:
Continue with the mapping QA/QC for the remainder of the City.
Build upon the success of the hydrant spring mobile field inspections and develop a fall
mobile field inspection.
Proceed with new mapping solution to replace ArcReader infrastructure mapping.
Various system upgrades including SAP and CityWorks (work management system).
On-going work related to the Water Asset Management Plan including Levels of Service,
Risk and Lifecycle Management.
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
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-
2024-050.
APPROVED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A Drinking Water Quality Management Standard Review - 2024
Kitchener Utilities
City of Kitchener Drinking Water Distribution System
Drinking Water Quality Management
Standard
Management Review 2024
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 .................................................................................................................................. 7
System Description ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Water Infrastructure Program (WIP) .................................................................................................................. 8
Incidents of Regulatory Non Compliance ........................................................................................................... 8
Incidences of Adverse Drinking Water ................................................................................................................ 8
Deviations from Critical Control Points Limits and Response ........................................................................... 10
Effectiveness of the Risk Assessment Process .................................................................................................. 15
Results of External and Internal Audits .............................................................................................................. 16
Operational Performance ................................................................................................................................... 17
Raw Water Supply and Drinking Water Quality Trends ..................................................................................... 18
Follow-up on Action Items from Previous Management Reviews ................................................................... 18
Status of Management Action Items Identified Between Reviews ................................................................. 18
Changes That Could Affect the Quality Management System .......................................................................... 18
Consumer Feedback ............................................................................................................................................ 19
Resources Needed to Maintain the Quality Management System.................................................................. 20
Results of the Infrastructure Review ................................................................................................................ 20
Summary of Maintenance ................................................................................................................................... 21
Effectiveness of Maintenance ............................................................................................................................ 24
Operational Plan Currency, Content and Updates ............................................................................................ 25
Staff Suggestions................................................................................................................................................. 25
Water Conservation ............................................................................................................................................. 25
Other .................................................................................................................................................................... 25
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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 Owner.
Executive Summary
Highlights of the report are:
The Summary Water Report-2024 (INS-2025-029) confirmed that the drinking water system
was in compliance with regulatory water sampling requirements during 2024. 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.
The Water Infrastructure Program (WIP) maintenance achievements (specific areas of
improvement identified by WIP):
o Cleaned approximately 135km of watermain in 2024.
o Water quality complaints increased slightly in 2024. There were 140 complaints total
with 28 discoloured water complaints for 2024; which has increased slightly from 2023.
The majority of complaints are internal issues (e.g. low pressure from a water
softener).
o 20 broken valves and/or failing valves were either replaced or removed which allows
for quicker isolation for water emergencies. This number does not include the majority
of valve replacements through road reconstruction projects. Broken valves are tracked
in real time and the majority are addressed within weeks (except for winter or if they
are part of future reconstructions).
o Approximately 1,877 valves were proactively operated (23%); the majority were within
the watermain cleaning area and the 2024 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 (approximately 14,300 locates completed).
o 2,295 services are protected by Backflow Prevention Devices (BFP) the focus is on
high-risk use. These devices prevent cross connections and potential contamination of
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the distribution system. A dashboard was developed to track customer notification by
grids and compliance.
o Lead testing program was completed in spring and fall.
Air relief valves in chambers inspections/chamber pump outs (approximately 1020) were not
completed in 2024; however they have been started in 2025. There were 2 boulevard style air
reliefs installed in 2024 to eliminate flooding risk within the chambers.
There were 55 watermain breaks in 2024, which is lower than the 5-year average of 66. The 5-
year average also dropped from 73 to 66/year.
Approximately 1,115 aging/problem water meters were replaced. A new process was
developed for metering large buildings under construction. The process to install new build
meters was streamlined which resulted in faster billing for consumption.
Approximately 350 hydrants were painted as part of the corrosion protection program,
painting will continue in 2025. Hydrants are also stencilled with the watermain diameter for
the Fire Department.
Unaccounted for water was 4.5% which is significantly lower than the average. The
unaccounted for water generally fluctuates around 10% (9-12%), with 10% being the approx. 10
year average). This significant drop is under further investigation.
Pressure reducing valve maintenance was completed.
Replaced watermains as outlined in the 2024 City of Kitchener Engineering & Water Utility
Capital Forecast.
The Drinking Water Licence was renewed.
External audit determined that the management system is effectively implemented and
maintained and recommended continued certification of accreditation for the municipal
drinking water system.
As a result of a locating process review, council approved the new positions of: Supervisor,
Damage Prevention, four new Locators, Damage Prevention and one new
Draftsperson. These positions allowed the corporation to respond in more timely manner in
accordance with the new Ontario One Call Regulations. All positions except for the
Draftsperson were filled.
Watermain Break App was modified to include the most critical infrastructure information
(water and gas) to staff via Smartphones or tablets.
Developed a SharePoint site to manage watermain commissioning as well as emergency
response.
Commenced the water component of the Official Plan to identify any water upgrades required
and /or potential limitations for future growth.
Continuing Areas of Focus are:
Continue with the mapping QA/QC for the remainder of the City.
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Build upon the success of the hydrant spring mobile field inspections and develop a fall mobile
field inspection.
Proceed with new mapping solution to replace ArcReader infrastructure mapping.
Various system upgrades including SAP and CityWorks (work management system).
On-going work related to the Water Asset Management Plan including Levels of Service, Risk
and Lifecycle Management.
Background
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
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 every 4-5 years thereafter prior to each Drinking
Water System License renewal. The Licence was renewed in 2024.
Section 19 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002 imposes a statutory standard of care on persons who
oversees the accredited operating authority of the system or exercises decision-making authority
over the syste-making authority
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
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):
ences for not acting as required by the standard of care,
including possible fines or imprisonment.
5
City of Kitchener Water Distribution
DWQMS Management Review
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 2024 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
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.
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
lable on their
website.
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Quality Management System Policy
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.
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 2024, the waterworks consists of approximately:
933.6 km of distribution watermain 799.4 km Kitchener owned, 23.5 km Dual owned (joint
ownership between Kitchener and Region) and 110.7 km Regional owned.
72,788 water meters in service.
4,797 hydrants (not including private hydrants).
8,276 valves (not including service valves or hydrant valves) 7,683 Kitchener owned, 129 Dual
and 464 Regional.
(See Appendix for a map at end of this document)
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The waterworks system has the following permits and licences:
Municipal Drinking Water Licence
Drinking Water Works Permit
Financial Plan
Operational Plan
Water Infrastructure Program (WIP)
The 2024 WIP Summary and Rate Options Report (INS-2023-437) was brought forward to Council in
2023 to address capital and maintenance requirements and rates for 2024-2027.
The WIP was initiated in spring 2017. Maintenance targets were continued as part of the 2024-2027
WIP. The 2024 planned program of maintenance-related work was achieved and included:
Watermain cleaning program - cleaned 168km of the City (this is the largest main cleaning
area.
Valve maintenance and replacement programs operated approximately 1,877 valves and
replaced 20 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 (14,300 locates completed).
Approximately 2,295 services are protected by Backflow Prevention Devices (BFP). These
devices prevent cross connections and potential contamination of the distribution system. A
dashboard was developed to track customer notification by grids and compliance numbers.
Additional funding was provided in the WIP to raising air relief valves/chambers in areas prone to
flooding to reduce the risk of drinking water contamination. Two (2) air relief valves were replaced
in 2024.
Funding was provided to commence water-only infrastructure replacement projects. The design of
three (3) projects began in 2024: sections of Holborn Dr/Carnaby Cres, Prospect Dr and Forest Hill Dr.
Incidents of Regulatory Non Compliance
A Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) completed an inspection on June 11-17,
2024, and covered June 9, 2023 to June 13, 2024. There were no notices of non-compliance.
Incidences of Adverse Drinking Water
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DWQMS Management Review
There were 18 Adverse Water Quality Incidences (AWQI) during the year. There were 4,232 chlorine
residual samples taken and 2,191 bacteriological samples taken within the distribution system. There
were no self-imposed Boil Water Advisories (BWA) initiated in 2024. The volume of AWQIs decreased
slightly from 2023.
Low chlorine AWQIs (9 total)
Total coliform AWQIs (9 total)
o Eight were at temporary main sampling locations.
o One was at a distribution sampling location.
Although not AWQIs, there were Lead (3) plumbing exceedances, two of which were are the same
location.
In general, corrective actions include reporting, flushing and resampling. The above AWQIs were all
resolved. The Summary Water Report for 2024 discusses water quality compliance and corrective
actions further.
Action: No further action required for information only
9
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Adverse Water Quality Incidents
(AWQIs)
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
Number of AWQIs
10
5
0
20142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Number of AWQIs
3424173520264221152018
Deviations from Critical Control Points Limits and Response
There were 55 watermain breaks in 2024, which is lower than the 5-year average of 66 (the 5-
year average also dropped). Of the 55, 12 were deemed to be Category 2. Category 2
watermain breaks require bacteriological sampling upon completion. 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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Number of Watermain Breaks by Year
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
Number of Watermain Breaks
20
0
Year
20142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Number of Breaks
140140697995906178944455
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Mainbreaks -5 year average
120.0
100.0
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
0.0
20142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Average
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DWQMS Management Review
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Unaccounted for water for was 4.5.%; 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 typically around 10%, although the percentage fluctuates.
Investigation is ongoing to determine the reason(s) for the significant drop. There have been
some billing improvements, however the impact does not solely explain the drop.
Improvements include:
o A new process was developed for metering large buildings under construction.
o Streamlining the process to install new-build meters which resulted in faster billing for
consumption.
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DWQMS Management Review
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 UARL 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
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DWQMS Management Review
is 1.78 times greater than the theoretical low level losses. The ILI graph below is a comparison
to other Cities participating in 2023 benchmarking (Kitchener is below the median of 2.3).
ILI for cities participating in 2023 Benchmarking
Action: No further action required for information only
Effectiveness of the Risk Assessment Process
A risk assessment was completed on November 12, 2024. The purpose of the risk assessment
is to brainstorm potential risks and identify counter measures, where appropriate. The
following is a summary for the 2024 risk assessment:
o Reviewed all risks to ensure all information and assumptions are current and valid.
o Discussed and added the following new potential risks as well as potential counter
control measures:
Failures and/or repairs on Regional transmission mains (critical infrastructure)
Large outages resulting from construction - no backfeed
Emergency Phone line - backup
Parts Supplies received are not as advertised - e.g. says NSF but may not meet
the criteria
o Preventive / Control measures and risk scores were updated for several existing risks
and added for the new risks above.
o One previously identified risk was removed from the risk table.
o One previously identified critical control point was downgraded valves left
accidentally closed after watermain cleaning due to the App where staff track open
and close valves in real time
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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 staff.
External:
In August 2024, a 12 Month Surveillance audit was conducted and completed by a certified
external auditor (SAI Global) recommending continued accreditation for the City of
Kitchener.
o No non-conformances were found. No opportunities for improvement were
identified.
Internal:
5 Field/Process audits were conducted in 2024:
o Mobile Hydrant Operating Checks
o Curb Stop Replacement
o Final Watermain Connections
o Tracer Wire Final Watermain Connections Lawrence Ave
o Tracer Wire New Subdivision Ottawa-Trussler
11 Element audits were conducted in 2024.
There were 21 opportunities for improvement identified from internal audits:
o 5 (24%) of these opportunities have been acted upon and implemented;
o 8 (38%) of these opportunities could not be implemented; and
o 8 (38%) of these opportunities are still being investigated
Zero nonconformances and zero non-compliances were found during the internal audits.
11 nonconformances were found outside of the internal audits. Ten of the eleven
nonconformances have been resolved with one still open (involves the phone system).
Continuous Improvement
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. Opportunities which have either been acted upon and implemented or are not
implemented are communicated back to staff as part of regular meetings. In total for 2024, excluding
the results from internal audits, there were:
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77 opportunities for improvement were identified outside of internal audits. These
opportunities for improvement can come from other avenues as well, such as external audits,
staff suggestions, public concerns, management reviews, or the risk assessment meeting:
o 39 (51%) of these opportunities have been acted upon and implemented;
o 5 (6%) of these opportunities could not be implemented; and
o 33 (43%) of these opportunities are still being investigated.
-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 continue to take the IMS-100 Introduction to the Incident
Management System (IMS) for Ontario training.
Water Emergency new training for Managers was developed in 2024 and continues into
2025. This training is scenario based.
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
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Ongoing work with the Region for the Pressure 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. The section between Strasburg
Road and Robert Ferrie Drive is awaiting the completion of the Environmental Assessment for
the Robert Ferrie Drive extension.
the on-going installation of Regional watermain.
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.
Region of Waterloo commenced the Water Supply Strategy Update to ensure a safe, secure,
sustainable water supply through to 2051.
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 completed 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.
The City commenced an Official Plan update in 2024; which included a water component to
identify undersized watermain in infill areas and/or potential areas for concerns.
ongoing design/construction support throughout the process.
The Canada Post Strike at the end of 2024 impacted customer communications and
compliance in the Cross Connection Control Group and the Water Meter Shop. The strike also
increased the number of customer phones calls both incoming and outgoing for Dispatch and
Revenue.
The telephone system was upgraded across the City which impacted and continues to impact
the Dispatch emergency and back-door lines. Issues are being logged and reported to the
project team as they arise.
Action: No further action required for information only
Consumer Feedback
The number of customer water complaints slightly increased in 2024. 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.
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).
An On-boarding process and manual was created for Dispatch staff to respond to customers
and dispatch staff (85 procedures).
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Action: Continue with proposed watermain cleaning area in 2025.
Resources Needed to Maintain the Quality Management System
The WIP report identified a shared resource to improve data management and risk
prioritization; however this is not planned for 2026.
Action: No further action required for information only
Results of the Infrastructure Review
The WIP Review was completed which 2024-2027, which included water-only projects.
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). Design commenced for 3 projects
2024 reconstruction projects were largely completed as per the 2024
Engineering/Storm/Sanitary/Water Capital Forecast
The Region replaces some Kitchener infrastructure as part of their projects (Kitchener funded
and some may be water-only projects).
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2025 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 135kms of watermain was cleaned in 2024. The 2024
watermain cleaning area map is shown below. The next map shows the proposed 2025 area
in pink/red. The 2024 area is the largest main cleaning area. 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 2024 Watermain Cleaning Area (light green)
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Proposed 2025 Watermain Cleaning Area (light green)
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 1,877 valves the majority of valves
were operated in the watermain cleaning area with additional valve operation in areas of
reconstruction. Critical valves along the LRT were also operated. Operating valves ensures
that they will work when they are needed in an emergency or for construction activities.
There were 20 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 2024 there were 11
broken valves remaining, 7 of which will be replaced as part of future reconstruction work.
352 hydrants were painted.
Leak detection survey a third of city completed each year. Follow-up is completed on
potential leaks. Approximately 330km of mains were surveyed resulting in one detected water
service leak and four possible hydrant leaks the hydrants were not found to be leaking upon
further investigation.
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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.
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 were not completed
in 2024; however they started in early 2025 (approximately 120). 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. Two boulevard style air reliefs were installed in 2024 to replace existing
air reliefs in chambers.
Staff continue to use the watermain break app for reporting breaks and water service leaks,
which improves customer communication for breaks. Additional functionality to the
watermain break app has been added.
missing water valves being added as well as corrections to services and chambers. Once
added to the maps, the assets can be maintained. This work will continue over the next few
years until the entire city has been reviewed.
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. This report does not summarize every
maintenance program: for example hydrants are operated annually to comply with Fire-.related
regulations but that activity has minimal impact on the drinking water and does not have an
associated key factor. Other maintenance programs may impact more than one key factor for
example proactive dead end main flushing may decrease water quality complaints and Adverse
Water Quality Incidents. The effectiveness of the maintenance program is determined by the
following key factors:
Number of Adverse Water Quality Incidents (AWQI)
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 18 AWQIs (an indication of water quality). Less than 1% of samples taken are
AWQIs. See the Summary Water Report for further details.
Water loss/unaccounted for water was 4.5% (below the target of 10%).
The number of quality complaints was at 140, 20% of which were related to discoloured water
and 51% pressure (largely internal issues). The remainder 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 55 watermain breaks in 2024, which is a lower than the 5-year average of 66
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.
Water Conservation
Water conservation programs are developed and delivered through the Region of Waterloo in
effort to mitigate high water consumption usage. These programs are part of the Water Efficiency
Master Plan through the Region.
Kitchener Utilities supports communication
conservation programs such as the water by-law and the WET program in-home water audit
program. Kitchener Utilities supports and partners on bill inserts semi-annually to Kitchener
residents and promotes the programs on the Kitchener Utilities website.
Other
Water Meter Replacement 1,114 aging/problem water meters were replaced. Approximately
1,864 service orders generated (e.g. remotes not working, potential stopped meters, new
large meter inspections, removals, leaking meters, etc.). There are 72,788 meters in the
system.
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On-going work related to the Water Asset Management Plan including Levels of Service, Risk
and Lifecycle Management.
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- 2023 values decreased slightly; however
2024 benchmarking values are not yet available. Kitchener average residential daily
th
consumption levels are lower than many comparison municipalities (around the 25
percentile). Water purchases are slightly down from 2024.
Development of additional dashboards including water valve replacement costs and a Cross
Connection Control Dashboard.
Developed a SharePoint site to manage watermain commissioning as well as emergency
response.
The Region of Waterloo is progressing on an update to their Water Supply Strategy, to look at
current water supply sources, assessing future water demands and investigating possible new
water sources. 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.
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 14,300 locates completed. Locate volumes are driven by customer
requests and construction.
Action: No further action required for information only
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Appendix
Water Distribution System Map
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