2016 Achievements
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What's the context?
We've provided data on our achievements in 2016. If you're looking for additional context on how much overall infrastructure we maintain, check out our overview infographics.
Nearly Nine Thousand Water Meters Replaced
In 2016, we took a major step to improve asset management of water meters as we replaced 8,819 out of approximately 38,000 water meters. This program will help us keep meters up-to-date to ensure accurate, reliable metering of the water consumed by our customers.
Ensuring Reliable Water Distribution and Fire Protection
3,458
Fire Hydrants Inspected
That's all of them!
885
Fire Hydrants
Flow Rated
In 2016, 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.
Expansion of the Point Pleasant Water Treatment Plant
In 2016, Utilities Kingston completed final testing and began operating the $50 million upgrade to the Point Pleasant Water Treatment Plant. The upgrades increased the plant capacity from 45 million litres per day to 80 million litres per day.
James Street Water Booster Station Upgrades
In 2016, the $5.1 million contract to upgrade the James Street Water Booster Station was awarded to J.C. Sulpher Construction Ltd.
This booster station conveys water to the system east of the Cataraqui River and is located in the Barriefield Heritage Conservation District. The upgrades are needed to replace aging infrastructure and ensure adequate supply of water for the East Water System. The upgraded facility will accommodate 20-year population growth projections.
The upgrades include a building extension to house new pumps, electrical equipment and other associated infrastructure. There will also be minor alterations made to the underground infrastructure outside the building, along with a new standby power generator to ensure continued reliability of the water supply in the event of a power outage.
In 2016, we awarded the contract, completed demolition of the existing building, completed temporary yard piping, and a significant amount of concrete work on the new addition. Work will continue in 2017.
Regulation and Legislation
Annual Reports on Drinking Water Quality
Utilities Kingston released the 2016 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 2016, 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.
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.
As of 2016, Utilities Kingston monitors the installation, maintenance and annual testing of approximately 2,500 approved backflow devices, up from 1,973 devices in 2015. Here's what we achieved through this program in 2016:
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24
Homes and Businesses
had their Drinking Water
Tested for Lead
This meets our regulated requirements
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 2016, the required internal auditing process was completed with no non-conformances identified.
In 2011, we received full scope 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 2016, the Ministry of the Environment completed annual inspections of all the water treatment systems operated by Utilities Kingston. For 2016, 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
Water and wastewater master plans
Utilities Kingston is dedicated to the responsible management of infrastructure. That’s why we’ve updated 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.
In 2015-16, Utilities Kingston and our partner WSP Canada Inc. conducted a study in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) process. We held two public information centres in 2016 to present stakeholders with the recommendations for infrastructure upgrades over the next 20 years to service future growth in our community.
Water by the Numbers
23.1B
Total Water
Pumped (L)
1B from previous year
38K
Homes and Businesses Served
300 from previous year
4,005
Microbiological
Samples
3 from previous year
12,229
Chemical
Samples
2,895 from previous year due to 3-year radiological testing
Financials
Check out our webpage on conservation to learn about our customers’ accomplishments in saving water.