Water Information November 2013
Summary (linked) • Overview of Town System • Discolouration Problem (2 slides) • Operating Requirements • Approach • Phase 1 Projects (5 Slides) • Phase 2 Projects (2 Slides) • Costs • 2013 Water Rates (3 Slides) • Project Descriptions Summary Link 2
Overview Pictou’s Water Source • Groundwater supply – not surface water • Two Wellfields (Caribou and Pictou) • 13 Wells – producing 1.7 million litres per day • 9 Wells supply the Water Tower Summary Link 3
Overview Pictou’s Water Source Summary Link 4
The Discolouration Problem • Naturally occurring manganese in raw water – the addition of chlorine drops manganese out of solution (appears in solid form) • Manganese then builds up in pipes and bottom of water tower • A change in pressure (caused by line breaks etc) stirs up deposits which then pass through the system as discoloured water • Some areas of town worse than others: – Dead ends lines have lower quality due to overnight settling – Certain areas of Town have multidirectional flow, depending on the time of day. The change in direction causes discoloration Summary Link 5
Operating Requirements • Governed by Nova Scotia Environment (NSE) and the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB) • NSE required increase in chlorine (adds to discolouration by pulling more manganese out of solution) • NSE issues water withdraw permit based on sustainable pumping yields (water is a Provincial resource) • NSUARB sets rates based on capital projects & operating costs • The Town of Pictou’s Utility is currently one of the most complex systems in the Province Summary Link 6
Two Main Issues • No. 1 System upgrades to ensure compliance with safe drinking water and other NSE regulations and permits continues. Referred to as Phase 1 • No. 2 Construction of a Central Treatment Plant to address water discolouration issues. Referred to as Phase 2 Summary Link 7
Phase 1: Capital Projects 1.1 Safe Drinking Water Regulations: • NSE required testing and studies (complete) • Engineering system designs (complete) • Water Model created - pressure + disinfection residual scenarios (complete with ongoing refinements) • Installation of 3 new wells (complete) • Installation of new transmission line to cluster wells (complete) • Installation of Ultra Violet disinfection (occurring now) • Installation of Monitoring Equipment (occurring now) • Provincial/Federal Infrastructure application pending Summary Link 8
Phase 1: Capital Projects Summary Link 9
Phase 1: Capital Projects 1.1 Safe Drinking Water Regulations: Summary Link 10
Phase 1: Capital Projects 1.2 NSE Water Withdrawal Permit (Meters): • Main purpose of meters is to ensure Utility stays below the NSE permitted withdrawal amount (new construction, central filtration backwash requirements etc…) • Meters are main tool available to reduce water consumption (public education) and production (leak detection) • Cost sharing has been obtained • NSUARB approved installation (in 2005 and 2013) • Flat billings will continue until discolouration is addressed • Neptune has begun to install meters on an area by area basis Summary Link 11
Phase 1: Capital Projects 1.3 Infrastructure Updates: • New and replacement distribution lines: – Portion of St. Andrews St (complete) – Irving St (complete) – Sinclair St (complete) – Portion of Palmerston St (complete) – Spruce St (complete) – Extension of Hector Ave (complete) – NSUARB 2013 rates includes $100k per yr – Engineering work complete on two Streets • Standpipe Refurbishment: – Outlet pipe extended upwards to lessen discolouration events (complete) – Major interior and exterior refit (work in progress) Summary Link 12
Phase 2: Water Discolouration Central Treatment Plant: • Intent: Filter manganese out of raw water prior to chlorination (no or little manganese left to drop out of solution – no manganese deposit in standpipe and lines – no water discolouration) • Pre-design engineering report (completed) • Piloting of treatment technologies at full scale (about to start) • Applications for Provincial and Federal infrastructure cost sharing (pending release of applications) Summary Link 13
Phase 2: Water Discolouration Summary Link 14
Summary of Capital Costs • Phase 1: (safe water & regulatory): $3.35 million • Phase 2: (water discolouration): $4.08 million TOTAL $7.43 million Summary Link 15
2013 Water Rates • NSUARB approved rate increases to fund: – remaining costs of Phase 1 upgrades; and – costs associated with piloting of treatment technologies • The NSUARB has approved flat rate billing until water discolouration has been addressed Summary Link 16
2013 Water Rates • What is NOT included in the Town’s current rates: – The vast majority of Phase 2 costs (water discolouration) • Why not? – The Town believes that in the absence of Provincial and Federal cost-sharing Phase 2 may not be affordable to water customers Summary Link 17
Rate Hearing • How will Phase 1 costs affect my water bill? Meter Size Current Year Ending Size 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Unmetered $ 79.92 $ 119.45 $ 121.05 $ 121.63 $ 121.04 5/8 $ 149.99 $ 171.86 $ 175.88 $ 176.89 $ 175.87 3/4 $ 133.93 $ 158.05 $ 160.05 $ 160.78 $ 160.04 1 $ 212.30 $ 244.96 $ 248.07 $ 249.21 $ 248.06 1.5 $ 349.41 $ 411.11 $ 415.64 $ 417.30 $ 415.62 2 $ 590.79 $ 673.62 $ 681.63 $ 684.58 $ 681.60 3 $ 598.64 $ 719.07 $ 721.62 $ 722.56 $ 721.61 Flat rates (unmetered) will continue until discolouration has been addressed. Summary Link 18
Additional Detail All Projects Summary Link
Description of Individual Water Projects (Linked) • Completed Projects – Engineering – Well Clustering (transmission main) – Contact Pipes – New Wells – Infrastructure Replacement • In Progress Projects – Disinfection and Monitoring Upgrades – Water Tower Refurbishment – Residential Water Meters – Treatment Technology Piloting – Treatment Plant Summary Link 20
Completed Projects Summary Link 21
Engineering Why • Require professional design and costing advice (helps influence cost sharing opportunities from other levels of government) Description • CBCL was hired to complete – Assess water system – Suggest phase compliance/treatment work based on standards – Model the system – Provide guidance on all projects Outcome • A project list has been completed and divided into two phases: – Phase 1 is compliance related – Phase 2 is treatment • Achieve compliance with NSE standards • Implement technology to improve water quality Summary Link 22
Well Clustering Why • Create a centralized blend of water to send to a future treatment plant Description • Connected 9 of the Town’s 13 wells • A blended water source reduces variability in its chemistry Outcome • All water produced along the northern/eastern boundary now supplies the water tower and site of a future treatment plant Summary Link 23
Contact Pipes Why • Regulations require water to be mixed with chlorine for a specific time prior to entering the distribution system Description • Four wells currently feed directly into the distribution system. • Large contact pipes were required at those sites Outcome • All sites have contact pipes installed and disinfected • Disinfection requirements for chlorine achieved Town chlorine Summary Link dosing equipment 24
New Wells Why • Some wells were low in quality and yield • Cheaper to decommission/built new wells than repair Description • Drilled two new wells • Re-drilled one well • Replaced three poor quality/low yield wells Outcome • Well #14 and #15 were built and commissioned • Vance Well and #9 were decommissioned • Footes Lane has been re-drilled 100 meters from its original location • Town increased its production capacity by close to 100 gpm Summary Link 25
Infrastructure Replacement Why • Several aged pipes and hydrants (early 1900 vintage) • Some generations of pipes have been prone to breaks • Hydrants need to be in working order Description • Replacing hydrants and pipes on a year by year basis • Invested/ing about $110,000 per year Outcome • Several streets have had pipes replaced (click here for street locations) • Most Hydrants in the Town have been replaced Summary Link 26
In Progress Projects Summary Link 27
Disinfection and Monitoring Upgrades Why • Pre-existing system did not meet new NSE requirements/regulations • Needed to increase disinfection and monitoring of raw water Town of Pictou UV System (2013) Description • Installation of new monitoring equipment for quality parameters (computerized system) • Installation of new UV disinfection lights Outcome • Installed all new equipment at 13 well sites and the water tower • A computer system records all quality parameters and provides early detection of changes • Summary Link UV lights provide the needed disinfection 28
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