HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-2026-042 - Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS): Management Review Summary for 2025
Infrastructure Services Department www.kitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: March 9, 2026
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: All Wards
DATE OF REPORT: February 16, 2026
REPORT NO.: INS-2026-042
SUBJECT: Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS): Management
Review Summary for 2025
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City of Kitchener Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS):
Management Review Summary for 2025 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 and provides information
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.
Be informed. Your decisions can have
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 2025 Management Review was reviewed by and completed with Top Management: Denise
McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services, Greg St. Louis, Director of Gas and
Water Utilities (unable to attend meeting) as well as Tammer Gaber, Manager, Operations (Gas
& Water), Ras Sonthisay, Supervisor, Training (Gas and Water Utilities), Angela Mick, Manager,
Quality Management and Water Programs, Parmi Takk, Utilities Water Engineer and Dean
Chapman, Quality Management System Specialist. The Management Review report is attached.
Highlights of the report are:
The Summary Water Report-2025 (INS-2026-041) confirmed that the drinking water
system was in compliance with regulatory water sampling requirements during 2025. 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 100km of watermain in 2025.
o Water quality complaints slightly decreased in 2025. There were 106 complaints
total with 14 discoloured water complaints for 2025. 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 valves which are replaced 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 817 valves were proactively operated (10%); the majority were
within the watermain cleaning area and the 2025 reconstruction areas. Operating
valves increases the likelihood 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 13,300 locates
completed).
o 2,490 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.
o Lead testing program was completed in spring and fall.
Air relief valves in chambers inspections/chamber pump outs (approximately 1020) were
completed in the spring of 2025. Boulevard style air reliefs were not installed in 2025.
There were 76 watermain breaks in 2025, which is higher than the 5-year average of 69.
The 5-year average has increased from 66 to 69 breaks/year.
Approximately 2,969 aging/problem water meters were replaced.
Approximately 350 hydrants were painted as part of the corrosion protection program.
Hydrants are also stencilled with the watermain diameter for the Fire Department.
Unaccounted for water was 9.1% which is close to the average. The unaccounted for
water generally fluctuates around 10% (9-12%), with 10% being the approx. 10-year
average).
Pressure reducing valve maintenance was completed.
Replaced watermains as outlined in the 2025 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.
Roll out of new mapping solution to replace ArcReader commenced.
The Region, as the water supplier, identified a Mannheim Service Area Water Capacity
a
Regional responsibility, the Mannheim Service Area Water Capacity Constraint will
continue to impact development in 2026 and may impact maintenance activities. The City
of Kitchener along with other Area Municipalities are working collaboratively with the
Region to advance water supply projects, water conservation measures and development
of a risk-based water allocation framework to support development approvals while
mitigating risks to the drinking water supply. The Region has committed to updating the
community as more information becomes available. You can stay informed on this issue
www.regionofwaterloo.ca/watercapacity.
Continuing Areas of Focus are:
Continue with the mapping quality checks the remainder of the City.
Build upon the success of the hydrant spring mobile field inspections and develop a fall
mobile field inspection (delayed by CityWorks upgrade).
Various system upgrades including SAP and CityWorks (work management system).
Water conservation measures both internally and with the surrounding area
municipalities, including the Region.
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-
2025-008.
APPROVED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A Drinking Water Quality Management Standard Review - 2025
Kitchener Utilities
City of Kitchener Drinking Water Distribution
System
Drinking Water Quality Management
Standard
Management Review 2025
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 ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Other Related Water Quality Reports ................................................................................................. 5
Quality Management System Policy .................................................................................................... 6
Part B Management Review ................................................................................................................ 7
System Description .............................................................................................................................. 7
Water Infrastructure Program (WIP) .................................................................................................... 7
Incidents of Regulatory Non Compliance ............................................................................................ 8
Incidences of Adverse Drinking Water ................................................................................................. 8
Deviations from Critical Control Points Limits and Response ............................................................... 9
Effectiveness of the Risk Assessment Process ........................................................................................ 14
Results of External and Internal Audits ............................................................................................... 15
Operational Performance ................................................................................................................... 17
Raw Water Supply and Drinking Water Quality Trends ...................................................................... 17
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 ............................................................................................................. 25
Operational Plan Currency, Content and Updates ............................................................................. 25
Staff Suggestions ................................................................................................................................ 26
Water Conservation .......................................................................................................................... 26
Other ................................................................................................................................................ 26
City of Kitchener Water Distribution
DWQMS Management Review
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
water system.
Executive Summary
Highlights of the report are:
The Summary Water Report-2025 (INS-2026-041) confirmed that the drinking water
system was in compliance with regulatory water sampling requirements during 2025. 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 100km of watermain in 2025.
o Water quality complaints slightly decreased in 2025. There were 106 complaints
total with 14 discoloured water complaints for 2025. 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 valves which are replaced 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 817 valves were proactively operated (10%); the majority were
within the watermain cleaning area and the 2025 reconstruction areas. Operating
valves increases the likelihood 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 13,300 locates
completed).
o 2,490 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.
City of Kitchener Water Distribution
DWQMS Management Review
o Lead testing program was completed in spring and fall.
Air relief valves in chambers inspections/chamber pump outs (approximately 1020) were
completed in the spring of 2025. Boulevard style air reliefs were not installed in 2025.
There were 76 watermain breaks in 2025, which is higher than the 5-year average of 69.
The 5-year average has increased from 66 to 69 breaks/year.
Approximately 2,969 aging/problem water meters were replaced.
Approximately 350 hydrants were painted as part of the corrosion protection program.
Hydrants are also stencilled with the watermain diameter for the Fire Department.
Unaccounted for water was 9.1% which is close to the average. The unaccounted for water
generally fluctuates around 10% (9-12%), with 10% being the approx. 10-year average).
Pressure reducing valve maintenance was completed.
Replaced watermains as outlined in the 2025 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.
Roll out of new mapping solution to replace ArcReader commenced
The Region, as the water supplier, identified a Mannheim Service Area Water Capacity
Constraint in December 2025
Although water supply is a
Regional responsibility, the Mannheim Service Area Water Capacity Constraint will
continue to impact development in 2026 and may impact maintenance activities. The City
of Kitchener along with other Area Municipalities are working collaboratively with the
Region to advance water supply projects, water conservation measures and development
of a risk-based water allocation framework to support development approvals while
mitigating risks to the drinking water supply. The Region has committed to updating the
community as more information becomes available. You can stay informed on this issue
www.regionofwaterloo.ca/watercapacity.
Continuing Areas of Focus are:
Continue with the mapping quality checks the remainder of the City.
Build upon the success of the hydrant spring mobile field inspections and develop a fall
mobile field inspection (delayed by CityWorks upgrade).
Various system upgrades including SAP and CityWorks (work management system).
Water conservation measures both internally and with the surrounding area municipalities,
including the Region.
Background
City of Kitchener Water Distribution
DWQMS Management Review
.
recommended that the Owners and Operating Authorities of these systems implement a quality
management approach to operations and management. As a result of these recommendations a
Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS) under the
was released in October 2006.
Theand , requires the City of Kitchener to be
requirements include the development and management of a Quality Management System (QMS)
and Operational Plan as well as communication to the Owner. The City of Kitchener became
licensed in August 2009 with a Financial Plan 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 imposes a statutory standard of care on persons
municipality, oversees the accredited operating authority of the system or exercises decision-
s Council since they have
decision-making authority . Part of the standard of care includes
requiring system owners to undertake financial planning and implement a QMS.
The following link is a guide for municipal councillors to help understand their responsibilities
under the
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):
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.
Other Related Water Quality Reports
The City of Kitchener Summary Water Report is a regulatory report provided to Council, which
provides a summary of drinking water including adverse water quality incidences and water
volume.
City of Kitchener Water Distribution
DWQMS Management Review
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 supply, 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.
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.
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)
on their website.
Quality Management System Policy
Kitchener Utilities owns, maintains,
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
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City of Kitchener Water Distribution
DWQMS Management Review
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 2025, the waterworks consists of approximately:
936.2 km of distribution watermain 802.2 km Kitchener owned, 23.5 km Dual owned
(joint ownership between Kitchener and Region) and 110.5 km Regional owned.
73,700 water meters in service.
4,833 hydrants (not including private hydrants).
8,339 valves (not including service valves or hydrant valves) 7,745 Kitchener owned,
131 Dual and 463 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 (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 100km of the City
Valve maintenance and replacement programs operated approximately 817 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 (13,300 locates completed, down slightly from
2024).
City of Kitchener Water Distribution
DWQMS Management Review
Approximately 2,490 services are protected by Backflow Prevention Devices (BFP). These
devices prevent cross connections and potential contamination of the distribution system.
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. Zero (0) air relief valves were
replaced in 2025
whether they require replacement or removal.
A section of East Ave (in front of the Aud) was replaced as well as Ottawa St/Westmount Funding
was provided to commence water-only infrastructure replacement projects. The design of three
(3) projects began in 2024 and is ongoing: sections of Holborn Dr/Carnaby Cres, Prospect Dr and
Forest Hill Dr. Construction of Prospect Dr (water-only) is anticipated to begin in 2026.
Incidents of Regulatory Non Compliance
A Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) completed an inspection on June 5-
13, 2025, and covered June 14, 2024 to June 6, 2025. There were no notices of non-compliance.
Incidences of Adverse Drinking Water
There were 20 Adverse Water Quality Incidences (AWQI) during the year. There were 4,129
chlorine residual samples taken and 2,217 bacteriological samples taken within the distribution
system. There were no self-imposed Boil Water Advisories (BWA) initiated in 2025. The number
of AWQIs increased slightly from 2024.
Low chlorine AWQIs (6 total)
Total coliform AWQIs (14 total)
o Thirteen were at temporary main sampling locations, ten of which were associated
with one project.
o One was at a distribution sampling location.
Although not AWQIs, there were Lead (4) plumbing exceedances, one from the spring program
and three from the fall program.
In general, corrective actions include reporting, flushing and resampling. The above AWQIs were
all resolved. The Summary Water Report for 2025 discusses water quality compliance and
corrective actions further.
Action: No further action required for information only
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City of Kitchener Water Distribution
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Adverse Water Quality Incidents (AWQIs)
45
40
35
30
s
I
Q
25
W
A
f
o
r
20
e
b
m
u
N
15
10
5
0
20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Number of AWQIs
2417352026422115201820
Deviations from Critical Control Points Limits and Response
There were 76 watermain breaks in 2025, which is higher than the 5-year average of 69.
The 5-year average has increased to 69 from 66. Although temperature is not the only
factor for watermain breaks, Kitchener does experience more breaks during colder than
average years like 2025. For example 2015 was a very cold year. Of the 76, 16 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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City of Kitchener Water Distribution
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Unaccounted for water for was 9.1%; the MECP target is 10%. The 10-year average for
Kitchener is typically around 10%, although the percentage fluctuates. In general the water
purchased minus the water sold is calculated; however there are a number of known
operational uses that are quantified (accounted for but not billed) using the time flushed-
for example water used in watermain cleaning, dead end main, autoflushers, new
development flushing, miscellaneous water quality responses, adverse water responses.
Watermain breaks are estimated on a volume per break. The unaccounted for water
includes unmetered/unbilled water used for:
o Fire fighting and fire department training at hydrants
o Hydrant flow tests
o Construction activities including watermain commissioning
o Potential running leaks in the system that are unknown there is an annual leak
survey completed to assist with identifying leaks
o Meter inaccuracies (aging meters may not record all flows)
o Private hydrant usage/sprinkler systems (not metered)
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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.
4 ILI value was 1.37
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City of Kitchener Water Distribution
DWQMS Management Review
meaning the current level of real losses is 1.37 times greater than the theoretical low level
losses. The ILI graph below is a comparison to other Cities participating in 2024
benchmarking (Kitchener is below the median of 1.4).
ILI for cities participating in 2024 Benchmarking
Action: No further action required for information only
Effectiveness of the Risk Assessment Process
The annual risk assessment was completed on November 27, 2025. The purpose of the
risk assessment is to brainstorm potential risks and identify counter measures, where
appropriate. The following is a summary for the 2025 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:
Turning on a service which has been turned off for a long time, or a
contractor wants to connect a watermain which has been commissioned
previously.
Reconstruction Projects: Breach of a temporary watermain is not reported
immediately. Bi-weekly sampler does not report low chlorine adverse.
Increased risk of AWQI response.
o Preventive / Control measures and risk scores were updated for several existing risks
and added for the new risks above.
o One previously identified critical control point was downgraded Backflow causing
contamination and back siphoning or back pressure causing contamination
likelihood reduced to 1 (positive pressure is maintained during main breaks).
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Although water supply shortfall was identified as a possible risk, it is anticipated that the
2026 risk assessment will incorporate the new water supply issues.
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:
On October 2 and October 3, 2025, a Re-accreditation 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. Three opportunities for improvement were
identified.
Internal:
4 Field/Process audits were conducted in 2025:
o Water Quality Investigations
o Water Service Replacement by Means of Pulling
o Temporary Watermain Sampling
o Final Watermain Connections > 6m
11 Element audit were conducted in 2025:
o Element 1, 2 and 3 audit
o Element 4 and 6 audit
o Element 12 and 21 audit
o Element 19 audit
o Element 14 audit
o Element 20 audit
o Element 7 audit
There were 25 staff members participating in internal audits in 2025.
There were 15 opportunities for improvement identified from internal audits:
o 8 (53%) of these opportunities have been acted upon and implemented;
o 1 (7%) of these opportunities could not be implemented; and
o 6 (40%) of these opportunities are still being investigated.
One nonconformances and zero non-compliances were found during the internal audits.
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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 2025,
excluding the results from internal audits, there were:
There were 63 opportunities for improvement 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 29 (46%) of these opportunities have been acted upon and implemented;
o 6 (10%) of these opportunities could not be implemented; and
o 28 (44%) of these opportunities are still being investigated.
Seven nonconformances were found outside of the internal audits.
-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.
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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 continued 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
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.
includes the on-going installation of Regional watermain.
Action: No further action required for information only
Raw Water Supply and Drinking Water Quality Trends
The Region, as the water supplier, identified a Mannheim Service Area Water Capacity Constraint
The constraint was identified as part of the
Water Supply Strategy Update to ensure a safe, secure, sustainable water supply through to 2051
(on-going). The following changes to the water capacity methodology were recommended:
Utilize individual services areas versus the Integrated Urban System e.g. separating
Mannheim and Middleton Service areas. Due to current hydraulic/pressure
constraints and disinfection challenges the water cannot currently be transferred
between Middleton Service Area and the Mannheim Service Area
Shift from using the maximum system capacity (the peak performance of the
system) to the use of both average sustainable capacity (the amount of water a system
can reliably produce on an ongoing basis) and maximum system capacity (the peak
performance of a system) rather than only maximum system capacity)
A minimum operational resilience target of 20% supply capacity should be
established to allow facilities to be shut down for repairs and emergency situations.
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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: Over 2026 participation in the development of short, medium and long-term solutions
to address the capacity constraint as well as participation in a risk management approach to
development. The City of Kitchener along with other Area Municipalities will engage in efforts to
support continued growth while mitigating risks to the drinking water supply. These efforts will
include water conservation measures (both internal and external); participation in One Water
Strategy and review of maintenance practices.
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
Although water supply is a Regional responsibility, the Mannheim Service Area Water
Capacity Constraint may impact development in 2026 and may impact maintenance
activities.
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.
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.
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The telephone system was upgraded across the City in 2024 which 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 decreased in 2025. 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 in CityWorks.
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).
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Action: No further action required for information only
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
2025 reconstruction projects were largely completed as per the 2025
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).
2026 projects were finalized.
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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 100kms of watermain was cleaned in 2025. The city
is split into 6 watermain cleaning areas. The 2025 watermain cleaning area map is shown
below. The next map shows the proposed 2026 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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Watermain Cleaning Areas (6 Areas)
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Completed 2025 Watermain Cleaning Area 1 (Red)
Planned 2026 Watermain Cleaning Area 3 (green)
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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 817 valves the majority of valves
were operated in the watermain cleaning area with additional valve operation in areas of
reconstruction. Operating valves increases the likelihood 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 2025 there
were 10 broken valves remaining, 6 of which will be replaced as part of future
reconstruction work.
350 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 two detected
water service/main leaks and one possible hydrant leak one was confirmed to be a
watermain leak and was repaired, the other possible service/main leak was a hydrant that
was leaking slightly (repaired). The possible hydrant leak was not a leak.
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 were pumped 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. Zero boulevard style air reliefs were installed
in 2025 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.
Approximately a third water mapping has been quality checked resulting in
dozens of missing water valves being added as well as corrections to services and chambers.
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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
The system performance has demonstrated effectiveness by achieving:
There were 20 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 106, 13% of which were related to discoloured
water and 35% 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 76 watermain breaks in 2025, which is higher than the 5-year average of 69.
The 5-year average has increased from 66 to 69 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
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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.
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.
Over 2026 the City of Kitchener will participate in water conservation activities both internally
and externally with Area Municipalities and the Region. One example project is the One Water
Strategy, a joint servicing initiative with the City of Waterloo to explore the feasibility of
transitioning from conventional water and wastewater systems toward a more circular model
that prioritizes reuse before discharge into the environment.
Other
Water Meter Replacement 2,969 aging/problem water meters were replaced.
Approximately 1,879 service orders generated (e.g. remotes not working, potential
stopped meters, new large meter inspections, removals, leaking meters, etc.). There are
73,700 meters in the system.
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 consumption is relatively stable with
2024 increasing slightly; 2025 benchmarking values are not yet available. Kitchener
average residential daily consumption levels are lower than many comparison
th
municipalities (around the 25 percentile). Water purchases are slightly higher in 2025.
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Benchmarking - Average Residential Daily Consumption (L/Cap/day) City of Kitchener Only
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Benchmarking 2024 Average Residential Daily Consumption (L/Cap/day) All Participants
Locates - Kitchener Utilities and their Locate Service Provider physically locate gas and
water infrastructure for contractors prior to construction and excavation work.
Approximately 13,300 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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