

Sydenham
Water Treatment Plant
The Sydenham Water Treatment Plant and its associated distribution system are owned by the Township of
South Frontenac, with Utilities Kingston acting as the operating authority.
The source of water treated by this plant is Sydenham Lake. The intake is located 128m
east of the treatment plant, at approximately 6m of water depth.
Two stationary screens located in the low lift pumping well remove any large debris such
as weeds, fish, etc.
These pumps lift the water from lake level to the main treatment building. There are three
submersible pumps each with a capacity of 7.8 l/sec which pump the water into the main
building for treatment.
Clarion A7 (acidified aluminum sulphate) is added to the water as it enters the process
building just prior to passing through the in-line mixer. The particles in the water will
collide with the alum particles as the water flows in a spiral motion through the mixer,
and then join together to form larger particles called floc.
Three pressure filtration tanks containing a ceramic filtration media remove the floc
formed from the addition of alum and the particles present in the water. Water flows
through the filters into two baffled clean water reservoirs called clear wells.
Filters are washed to remove the particulates they have collected over the previous 48 hrs.
Clean water from the clear well is pumped backwards through the filter, and the filter is
agitated by air scouring the filter media to break up any large particles. Effluent water
from the backwash process is directed to a backwash storage tank for further settling. The
supernatant (the clear water after settling) is directed back to Sydenham Lake and the
settled sludge is mechanically removed and sent for further treatment.
Sodium Hypochlorite is added to the water to provide disinfection and to ensure the safety
of the water to the customer's tap. Three sodium hypochlorite feed systems, each
consisting of one duty pump and one standby pump, provide pre-chlorination (before
filtration), post-chlorination (after filtration) and trim-chlorination (before entering
the distribution system).
Two baffled clear wells, each with a volume of 115 m3, provide storage of
filtered water and allow for a sufficient amount of chlorine contact time with the water
to ensure proper disinfection.
Three high lift pumps move treated water from the clear wells into the distribution system.
A 130 kW standby diesel generator provides electricity to the water plant during power
interruptions. The generator and standby equipment is tested regularly to ensure proper
operation when required.
The elevated tank has a storage capacity of 1019 m3 and provides pressure to
the distribution system.
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