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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFIN-09-156 - Drinking Water StrategyREPORT REPORT TO: Councillor Berry Vrbanovic, Chair, and Members of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: November 16, 2009 SUBMITTED BY: Dan Chapman, General Manager of Financial Services PREPARED BY: Tammy Gerber, Marketing Strategist, 519-741-2628 WARD(S) INVOLVED: N/A DATE OF REPORT: November 10, 2009 REPORT NO.: FIN-09-156 SUBJECT: DRINKING WATER STRATEGY RECOMMENDATION: For information BACKGROUND: On June 23 2008, Kitchener Council approved a staff recommendation that the City eliminate the serving of bottled water at its general committee, Council or any other committee or public meetings at city hall. Kitchener Utilities began working together with other local municipal tap water providers in late 2008 on water communication and education partnership strategies. The members of this partnership meet regularly to share ideas, strategies and resources to promote municipal tap water. The group has worked on multiple partnership programs to promote and educate residents that tap water is safe, economical and environmentally friendly. REPORT: City of Kitchener Municipal Drinking Water License The City of Kitchener’s Quality Management System operational plans have been approved by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to meet guidelines under the Safe Drinking Water Act. To further this accomplishment, the City of Kitchener has been successful in meeting the requirements of Ontario’s Drinking Water Quality Management Standard to the satisfaction of the Canadian General Standards Board Accreditation Program for Operating Authorities. This is a substantial accomplishment, one that should make our employees, management team and our community proud. By achieving accreditation, the City of Kitchener has demonstrated that we have an operational and effective drinking water quality management system. These accomplishments can provide reassurance to our citizens that Kitchener uses the highest standards in delivering tap water to their homes and businesses. é ó ï City Hall Tap Water Availability Over the past year, Kitchener Utilities has worked on increasing the availability of tap water in Kitchener City Hall. The City Hall cafeteria now offers jugs of tap water on their catering order form. Kitchener Utilities has also sponsored the installation of a tap water dispensing unit in the Human Resources area of City Hall. This new offering has increased the availability of tap water for staff and visitors to this area of City Hall. Kitchener Utilities is also investigating the installation of a tap water dispensing unit by the Learning Room to make tap water easily accessible for our corporate training programs offered in this area. City of Kitchener Water Fountains and Water Bottle Refill Stations– see appendix 1 Appendix 1 – Illustrates the locations of City of Kitchener water fountains, cleaning procedures and type of water filling station. This document has been prepared by Facilities management staff. Facilities management staff clean and disinfect City of Kitchener water fountains and water bottle refill stations on a routine basis as well as sporadically throughout the day as required. The City of Kitchener has set our own internal standard which meets or exceeds industry standards. Facilities management is also finalizing a corporate document that will be shared with all other operating facilities that do not fall under Facilities management on the proper cleaning and disinfecting standards for City of Kitchener water fountains and water bottle refill stations. Facilities management currently uses a “Green” environmentally friendly germicidal product consistently through out the City of Kitchener on all water fountains, water bottle refill stations, and washroom taps and fixtures. New Construction Guidelines for City Facilities New construction guidelines will be developed to state that all new City of Kitchener Facilities should include water fountains and/or water bottle refill stations to provide accessibility to municipal tap water. Facilities Management have been consulted and have recommended the design standards for water fountains and water bottle refill stations at future new City owned facilities. Education and Promotion of Tap Water Kitchener Utilities partnered with The Region of Waterloo, City of Waterloo, City of Cambridge, and City of Guelph this summer to run a radio campaign promoting local tap water. By partnering, the radio campaign was able to achieve larger reach and frequency at only a portion of the total cost. Kitchener Utilities has also partnered with the Region of Waterloo to educate residents on the Region’s watering restrictions, water conservation and toilet rebates via bill inserts in Kitchener Utilities bills. These promotions were funded by the Region of Waterloo. In the Fall/Winter 2009 edition of Natural Comforts, the Region of Waterloo sponsored pages to promote their toilet rebate program and the smart about salt program. Kitchener Utilities will continue to work with local municipalities on water communication and education strategies to ensure we are all delivering water communications in an effective and efficient manner. é ó î Supply Tap Water at City of Kitchener Special Events This summer the Region of Waterloo and Kitchener Utilities co-sponsored a large Water Trailer to distribute municipal tap water at Kidspark. This new service was positively received by patrons at the event. Hundreds of cups of tap water were distributed to the public along with hundreds of reusable water bottles were refilled throughout the day. The water wagon also provided an alternative to bottled water for many volunteers that worked at the Kidspark event. A survey was conducted by the Region of Waterloo at the Water Trailer at Kidspark regarding tap water availability at events. The results showed that 87% of respondents would take advantage of chilled tap water if it were available at events and 83% of respondents would bring their own reusable bottle to events if tap water was available. It is great to see public support for increased tap water availability at our special events. This fall the Region of Waterloo and Kitchener Utilities co-sponsored the Water Wagon manufactured by Kewl Earth at Kitchener Council Grillefest. The Water Wagon was favoured by the public and volunteers as a means of providing tap water at events. The City of Kitchener Special Events group currently spends approximately $500 on bottled water for volunteers and organizers at our major City operated events as there is not a tap water alternative available. Special Events also spends approximately $600 on recycling for our major City operated events. Thus, with the availability of the Water Wagon at events and residents using and bringing reusable water bottles the Water Wagon would reduce the recycling needs and costs for empty water bottles. The Water Wagon would help offset some of Special Events operating costs for large festivals. The Water Wagon is the preferred choice for dispensing tap water at public events. The Water Wagon includes eight stations that include self serve water fountains and water bottle refill taps. The Water Wagon is accessible to children, wheel chairs, and dogs with their self filling dog bowls. The Water Wagon is manufactured locally in Stratford, Ontario by Kewl Earth. The unit has also travelled to City of Guelph’s City Hall Opening Ceremonies and City of Stratford’s Savour Stratford event. The public has been in favour of this unit at all events. The Water Wagon provides a user friendly way to dispense tap water and is easily transportable to various event locations. Kitchener Utilities will cost share the purchase of a Water Wagon for a contribution of $12,000 with the Region of Waterloo and other local municipalities. The contribution is budgeted for, and will be paid for through Kitchener Utilities’ Marketing budget. The total purchase price is approximately $50,000. The Water Wagon would rotate throughout the Region of Waterloo to major festival events to provide tap water as an alternative to bottled water. The sharing of the Water Wagon in 2010 would be a pilot project to help determine the public needs and desires for tap water availability at public events. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The co-sponsorship of the Water Wagon is a shared cost of $12,000 to the City of Kitchener, Kitchener Utilities division. This sponsorship will be paid through Kitchener Utilities marketing budget. Other local municipalities will also be contributing to the Water Wagon cost so it can be shared across the Region of Waterloo. é ó í COMMUNICATIONS: Kitchener Utilities will continue to work with local municipalities on water communication and education strategies to ensure we are all delivering water communications in an effective and efficient manner. The Water Wagon will act as a promotional and educational vehicle at major events across the Region of Waterloo promoting tap water in 2010. It is recommended that volunteers and staff working at the Water Wagon would distribute information to patrons about municipal tap water. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Dan Chapman, General Manager of Financial Services & Treasurer é ó ì APPENDIX 1 - City of Kitchener Water Fountains and Water Bottle Refill Stations Inventory of Cleaning City FacilityType of Water filling Station FountainsProcedure Breithaupt Centre & Pool1 main lobbydaily 1492 (germicidal) with 1 upstairsspounge Forest Heights Pool1 on pool deck2x week with germicidal 1 in hallway Lyle Hallman Pool2 in main hallwaydaily with germicidal Harry Class Pool1 on pool deck (summer daily with germicidal only) Budd ParkNONE1 water fill station by kitchen Centennial Stadium1Clean with Windex and wipe with clean cloth Joe Thompson maintenance building 1 downstairsbuilding cleaned by CSD located below Bridgeport DaycareOperations ( FM to share cleaning standard) Centreville Chicopee Community Centre2 in lobbydaily with germicidal Chandler Mowat Community Centre1 in hallway by preschooldaily with germicidal Country Hills Community Centre1 side entrance lobbydaily with germicidal 1 back hallway Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre2 in lobbydaily with germicidal Forest Heights Community Centre1 in hallwaydaily with germicidal Kingsdale Community Centre1 centre areadaily with germicidal Mill Courtland Community Centre1 in front hallwaydaily with germicidal 1 by gym entrance Stanley Park Community Centre2 in hallwaydaily with germicidal 1 in preschool Victoria Hills Community Centre3daily with germicidal Rockway Centre1daily with germicidal Downtown Community Centre2daily with germicidal daily with germicidal Rockway Golf Course3 on golf coursebuilding cleaned by CSD Operations(FM to share cleaning standard) Doon Valley Golf Course2 on golf coursebuilding cleaned by CSD Operations(FM to share cleaning standard) The Aud3building cleaned by CSD Operations(FM to share cleaning standard) Don McLaren Arena1building cleaned by CSD Operations(FM to share cleaning standard) Grand River Arena1building cleaned by CSD Operations(FM to share cleaning standard) Lions Arena1building cleaned by CSD Operations(FM to share cleaning standard) Patrick Doherty Arena1building cleaned by CSD Operations(FM to share cleaning standard) Queensmount Arena1building cleaned by CSD Operations(FM to share cleaning standard) Sportsworld Twin Pad2spray down with everday disinfectant cleaner, wipe down and then let water flow through Activa Sportsplex2building cleaned by CSD Operations(FM to share cleaning standard) 82 Chandler Drive2daily with germicidal2 filtrine water fill stations - lower lobby by office and by rinks 55 Bramm Street3daily with germicidal Fire #11daily with germicidal Fire #51building cleaned by Fire 1 Aqua Flo water filling station in Department ( FM to share main entrance cleaning standards) 83 Elmsdale Drive3daily with germicidal City Hall 8daily with germicidalchange 3rd floor - water cooler filters every 6 month7th floor - water cooler 8th floor - water cooler Victoria Park Pavilion1 daily with germicidal Victoria Park Machine Shop1 daily with germicidal City Owned - Not Operated Facilities clean those with cream cleanser Childrens Museum3and or vinegar water mix use clean cloth to wipe down with dfisinfectant, then windex to Centre in the Square 6kill the germs Main Branch Library6 by contractor - Bedco spray disinfectant daily ( FM to provide copy of dring fountain cleaning standards) é ó ë é ó ê é ó é é ó è é ó ç é ó ïð é ó ïï é ó ïî é ó ïí é ó ïì é ó ïë é ó ïê é ó ïé é ó ïè é ó ïç é ó îð é ó îï é ó îî é ó îí é ó îì é ó îë é ó îê