2015 Achievements
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Three Thousand Water Meters Replaced
Utilities Kingston and our contractor Neptune Technology Group, with the support of water customers, replaced nearly 3,000 end-of-life water meters in 2015. We thank customers for their cooperation as we ensure the continued reliability of metering equipment. This ambitious program to upgrade municipal assets continues into 2016.
Ensuring Reliable Water Distribution and Fire Protection
3,384
Fire Hydrants Inspected
748
Fire Hydrants
Flow Rated
In 2015, there was a focus on water distribution system maintenance that included valve operation and maintenance, hydrant inspection and maintenance, and water service renewal. To help support fire protection, a particular focus was placed on inspecting and flow rating fire hydrants.
Licensed water distribution operators inspect mechanical parts for proper operation, assess the overall condition, and flush and flow rate hydrants.
Addressing Frozen Water Services
In the winter of 2015, a long deep freeze resulted in Utilities Kingston responding to nearly one hundred customers who experienced frozen water services.
It had been 20 years since we’d experienced the problem to such an extreme (in a typical winter, we only deal with a half dozen frozen services). Meanwhile, many other municipalities across Ontario were managing the same issue. While we worked hard to restore water to as many customers as quickly as possible, the event in 2015 helped us recognize improvements to both the process and communications. Utilities Kingston subsequently developed the Frozen Water Service Policy (WD-P-01) in accordance with the Water By-law No. 2006-122 and it was approved by the Council of the City of Kingston in November 2015.
To help customers prepare for extreme cold periods, we developed an online resource that helps explain the risk factors for freezing pipes and explains steps that building owners can take to help prevent this from occurring. As well, we explain the processes and responsibilities involved if your water service does freeze.
Water Plant Interconnection Project
Utilities Kingston completed the Environmental Assessment and preliminary design for the large trunk water main interconnection between the Point Pleasant and King Street Water Treatment Plants. This interconnection is a key linkage recommended in the Master Plan for Water Supply for the City of Kingston Urban Area. Detailed design will continue through 2016, with construction expected to start in early 2017.
District Meters Help Identify Water Loss
From the time water leaves the treatment plant, to the time it is metered at the home or business, it can be lost and unaccounted for throughout the distribution system due to leaks and water main breaks.
Utilities Kingston is working hard to reduce these incidences on aging infrastructure. Crews recently installed the first ‘district meter’ in our municipality. The bulk meter was installed at the water main at the corner of Woodbine Road and Collins Bay Road, which feeds approximately 500 homes and businesses in Westbrook.
Staff will collect and trend the data from the meter in order to determine unusual changes to temperature and patterns of water consumption, which will help us more efficiently flag potential leaks and losses in that part of the system. With over 500 kilometres of water main in the city, this information enables us to target our leak detection resources more effectively by concentrating in the most critical areas.
This project highlighted the effectiveness of the unique multi-utility model here in Kingston. Cross-functional teams give Utilities Kingston the ability to draw on skills and resources from areas not normally available to a single utility. In this example, we drew on resources from the underground systems, streetlights and traffic signals, measurement and communications and engineering groups to install the meter.
Regulation and Legislation
Annual Reports on Drinking Water Quality
Utilities Kingston released the 2015 annual reports on drinking water quality in accordance with Section 11 of Ontario Regulation 170/03. Annual reports outline water quality status at the three water treatment facilities and the water distribution systems operated by Utilities Kingston. In 2015, we received a 100 per cent rating from the Ministry of the Environment on our drinking water inspections, which confirms we are meeting the water quality standards.
Our activities to ensure water quality included the following:
Cross Connection Control
Through this program, we identify cross connections where potential contamination of potable (drinking) water may occur and enforce installation and yearly testing of these backflow prevention devices.
When properly installed, cross connection control devices ensure that water will never flow from the customer’s facilities into the distribution system. As of 2015, Utilities Kingston monitors approximately 1,973 approved backflow devices for installation, maintenance and annual testing, up from 1,400 devices in 2014.
In accordance with the Water By-law No. 2006-122 Part 3 - Cross Connections/Backflow Prevention, the Utilities Kingston Cross Connection Control Program is in effect. It addresses actual or potential connections between the City’s water infrastructure and a source of pollution or contamination that could change the drinking water supply quality.
Here's what we achieved through this program in 2015:
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22
Homes and Businesses
had their Drinking Water
Tested for Lead
Community Lead Testing Volunteers
Help safeguard our water, from source to tap
Protecting our drinking water is a shared responsibility. Thank you to our customers who volunteer in the community lead testing program and help keep drinking water safe and clean.
Under the Provincial Regulation 170/03 (Safe Drinking Water Act), the Ministry of the Environment requires owners of municipal residential drinking water systems to conduct lead testing of water taken from both plumbing (pipes inside the home or building) and distribution locations (pipes leading to the home or building). The municipality has been regulated to conduct lead testing over the past 10 years. During this time, Utilities Kingston has typically not found any issues with elevated lead levels in drinking water.
Full Scope Accreditation
In 2015, the required internal auditing process was completed. The two-year surveillance audit was completed by ASI Global in 2015 with no non-conformances identified.
In 2011, we received accreditation for a successful Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS). The issuance of the certificates of accreditation is the final step in meeting the initial requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The accreditation process is ongoing and requires yearly audits that demonstrate continuous diligence in continuous improvement in water treatment and supply.
This accreditation demonstrates that Kingston’s water treatment and distribution systems meet the requirements set out in provincial quality water management legislation. It is a testament to our commitment to water quality and the provision of safe and reliable water to our customers.
Ministry of the Environment Inspections
In 2015, the Ministry of the Environment completed annual inspections of all the water treatment systems operated by Utilities Kingston. For 2015, we received a 100 per cent rating for meeting the safety, operational, and compliance requirements under Ontario’s drinking water regulations.
Responsible Management of Infrastructure
Utilities Kingston is dedicated to the responsible management of infrastructure. That’s why we’re updating the water and wastewater master plans to align with population growth projections. Master plans help us manage upgrades to infrastructure so that we can provide reliable water and wastewater services to our customers for years to come. Utilities Kingston and our partner WSP Canada Inc. will conduct a study in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) process.
Water by the Numbers
24.1B
Total Water
Pumped (L)
0.7 from previous year
37.7K
Homes and Businesses Served
252 from previous year
2,015
Microbiological
Samples
325 from previous year
1,383
Chemical
Samples
123 from previous year
Financials
Check out our webpage on conservation to learn about our customers’ accomplishments in saving water.
