HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-2025-009 - Summary Water Report - 2024REPORT 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,
519-783-8778
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Wards
DATE OF REPORT: January 15, 2025
REPORT NO.: INS-2025-009
SUBJECT: Summary Water Report - 2024
RECOMMENDATION:
That the 2024 City of Kitchener Summary Drinking Water Report be received for
information as required by O.Reg. 170/03 Schedule 22 of the Safe Drinking water Act;
and,
further that the City of Kitchener provide a copy of the Summary Drinking Water
Report to the Township of Woolwich and the City of Waterloo as required by Schedule
22 of O.Reg. 170/03.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The key finding of this report is that the City of Kitchener is in compliance with regulatory
water sampling requirements of the reporting period of January 1 to December 31, 2024.
There are no financial implications of this report.
The report supports the delivery of core services.
BACKGROUND:
As outlined in Schedule 22 of the Drinking Water Systems Regulation (O.Reg.170/03) of
the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, a Summary Report is to be prepared and given to the
members of the municipal council. The following information is required to be included in
this report:
(a) list the requi
that the system failed to meet at any time during the period covered by the report and
specify the duration of the failures; and
(b) for each failure referred to in (a), describe the measures that were taken to correct the
failure.
The report must also include asummary of the quantities and flow rates of the water
supplied during the period covered by the report.
REPORT:
The following matters are reported to Council in accordance with the requirements of the
Safe Drinking Water Act, for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2024:
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. The Region provides
annual summaries for each supply and the information is available on their website
with a link from the Kitchener Utilities (KU) website. Reports from the connected
systems have been or will be received.
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. The City of
website.
The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) completed an annual
inspection from June 11 to June 17, 2024, which covered June 9, 2023 to June 13,
2024. There were no non-compliances found.
There were 4,232 chlorine residual samples taken and 2,191 bacteriological
samples taken within the distribution system. Of these, there were 18 Adverse
Table 1) and all
resamples were clear.
There were three (3) samples with lead exceedances in the plumbing system and
one hydrant within the distribution system. Plumbing lead exceedances are not
reported as AWQIs. Two of the three lead exceedances were at the Rockway
Community Centre.Previous tests (2019) were below the limits. Additional sampling
was undertaken throughout the facility and the high lead was limited to a single
faucet. The faucet and tap supply line was replaced and resamples showed that the
lead levels were below the limits. Homeowners were provided with test results and
information about lead from the Health Unit. The City is not obligated to complete any
additional corrective actions other than reporting, unless directed by the Medical
Officer of Health for the residential plumbing exceedances.
Summary of AWQIs
An AWQI does not necessarily mean that the water is a risk to the customer. It means that
a potential problem has been identified and corrective actions must be taken to resolve the
problem. City staff work with ministry staff and the local public health unit to resolve the
issue, which generally includes resampling.
Low Chlorine Residual AWQIs
Low chlorine AWQIs can occur in areas of new subdivisions with no houses yet built.
Along with dead end watermains, KU proactively flushes areas with new watermains
until there are homes built and water is being used.
There were four (4) low chlorine adverses associated with the same location a
school at 225 Thomas Slee Drive. Lower chlorine levels can sometimes be
experienced in schools or facilities when the facility usage and water usage is lower
than normal like in the summer
classes started, the school was contacted and an internal flushing program was
commenced. implementing the
flushing program.
Dead end watermain and new development flushing is a proactive approach to
increase the levels of chlorine in the distribution system. The water is initially
disinfected (primary disinfection) at the treatment plant and sufficient chlorine is
added to protect the water from microbiological contamination as it travels through
the pipes in the distribution system (secondary disinfection). Low chlorine does not
pose a threat to human health; to have an impact to human health, there must be
microbiological contamination and no, or extremely low, chlorine.
Bacteriological AWQIs
The presence of total coliform on a test does not necessarily mean the water is
unsafe to drink. Coliform bacteria can be found in many different environments.
There are several different strains of coliform bacteria. Most are harmless and do
not cause ill
the possibility of other disease-causing organisms, and their detection would
prompt further investigation and/or corrective action. It is different than E.coli, which
is a bacteria only associated with human or animal faecal matter.
When total coliform is found, a resample is done using a different technique, which
provides a number of total coliforms to analyze in consultation with Public Health
and the MECP. Based on a risk assessment of a number of factors including the
coliform count, chlorine residuals, and upstream/downstream coliform counts, the
requirement for a boil water advisory is determined.
Eight (8) total coliform AWQIs were at temporary sampling locations (Temp) within
reconstruction projects. Reconstruction streets have multiple sample ports and
sometimes more than one AWQI would occur on the same day. 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
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.
Table 1 Adverse Water Quality Incident Summary
January 1 to December 31, 2024
#Adverse TypeAWQI Date AWQI #Site NameSite LocationResults/Notes
(verbal)
1Low ChlorineMay 13164944Hydrant 14054215 Histand Free=0.04mg/L
Trail
2Total Coliform June 13165196East Ave Temp 139 East AveTC Present,
Mainresample clear
3Total Coliform July 19165665KID 90638 Parkview TC Present,
Cresresampleclear
4Total ColiformAug. 8165924Islington Ave Temp 85 Islington TC Present,
MainAveresample clear
5Total ColiformAug 13165995Wilson Ave Temp 221 Wilson AveTC Present,
Mainresample clear
6Low ChlorineAug 19166072KID 124225 Thomas Free=0.04mg/L
Slee DrCombined=0.21mg/L
7Low ChlorineAug 23166077KID 124225 Thomas Free=0.03mg/L
Slee DrCombined=0.20mg/L
8Low ChlorineSept 3166176KID 124225 Thomas Free=0.04 mg/L
Slee DrCombined=0.08mg/L
9Low ChlorineSept 516620642 Admiral Rd42 Admiral RdFree=0.0mg/L
(Reconstruction)Combined=0.0mg/L
10Low ChlorineSept 16166319KID 124225 Thomas Free=0.02 mg/L
Slee DrCombined=0.25mg/L
11Total ColiformSept 17166340Roxborough Temp 15 Admiral RdTC Present,
Main (Stage 2)resample clear
12Low ChlorineSept 30166489KID 141300 Chicopee Free = 0.03mg/L,
Hills DrCombined=0.14mg/L
13Total ColiformOct 2166521East Ave Temp 350 East AveTC present,
Mainresample clear
14Total ColiformOct 3166552Roxborough Temp 15 Admiral RdTC present
Main (Stage 2)
15Total ColiformOct 4166566Roxborough Temp 15 Admiral RdTC=1
Main (Stage 2)
16Total ColiformOct 5166578Roxborough Temp 15 Admiral RdTC=1, resamples
Main (Stage 2)clear
17Low ChlorineOct 22166716Hydrant 214440Dumart PlFree=0.03mg/L
Combined=0.15mg/L
18Low ChlorineDec 30167135KID 140 80 Tartan AveFree=0.03mg/L
Combined=0.10mg/L
A summary of the quantities of the water supplied by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
during the period covered by the report is noted in Table 2. Overall, the 2024 water volumes
were slightly lower than 2023; however there are variations on a monthly basis, largely due
to weather.
Table 2 - Kitchener Distribution System
Volume of Water Conveyed from the Region of Waterloo Supply System
2024 Monthly Average 2023 Monthly Variance from
333
Total (m) Day (m) Total (m) Previous Year
January 1,953,983 63,032 1,863,148 5%
February 1,794,185 64,078 1,694,195 6%
March 1,846,881 59,577 1,897,631 -3%
April 1,809,609 60,320 1,862,674 -3%
May 1,982,997 63,968 2,109,735 -6%
June 1,965,512 65,517 2,176,111 -10%
July 2,052,059 66,195 2,096,766 -2%
August 2,072,225 66,846 2,003,517 3%
September 2,063,503 68,783 2,009,712 3%
October 1,907,037 61,517 1,965,537 -3%
November 1,812,135 60,405 1,850,343 -2%
December 1,871,431 60,369 1,941,850 -4%
Purchases from
Waterloo 159,195 156,103 2%
Total 23,290,753 23,627,322 -1%
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This report supports the delivery of core services.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital Budget The recommendation has no impact on the Capital or Operating Budgets.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM da in advance of
the council / committee meeting. Water quality information is posted on the Kitchener Utilities
website.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
There are no previous reports/authorities related to this matter; however the summary
reports are provided on an annual basis with the last report being INS-2024-051
APPROVED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services