Treating Our WaterRight!

Winnipegs
Water Treatment Program

Agenda
Introduction
History of Winnipegs Water Supply
Councils Decision to Treat Winnipegs Water
Why treat our water?
What have we done so far?
What will the new water treatment plant be
like?
What challenges remain?

Environmental Issues
Organizational Issues
Market Conditions
Schedule
Finances
Risk Management

Questions

History
Winnipeg River

Natalie Lake
Winnipeg
Assiniboine
River

ONTARIO

Pinawa

Deacon Reservoir
Ross

Falcon Lake

Shoal Lake
Watershed
Intake Boundary

Kenora

Main Aqueduct
Red River

SHOAL LAKE
(Indian Bay)

McPhillips Reservoir
and Pumping Station

MANITOBA
Tache
Booster
Station

MINNESOTA
Deacon Reservoir
and Booster Station

Wilkes Reservoir and

Hurst Pumping Station

MacLean Reservoir
and Pumping Station

Main
Aqueduct

Branch II

Existing Water Supply System

Figure 3-1

exsys2bw
0512_cgs

History

WINNIPEG
SHOAL
LAKE

1100

1100

1000

1000

GROUNDLINE

900

900

800

800

INVERT OF AQUEDUCT

700

700
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

DISTANCE (STATION) IN MILES

70

80

90

100

History

History
Perimeter Highway
101

WINNIPEG

City Limits
McPhillips Res.

207

MacLean
Res.

Dugald

15

206
Shoal Lake Aqueduct

(1919)

Wilkes Res.
96 km to
Shoal Lake

100
Cell 1

Cell 2

(1972) (1978)
Cell 3

Cell 4

(1997)
6

History
The GWWD Railway was constructed
between 1913 and 1915
Aqueduct construction was completed in
March, 1919 2500 workers at peak
Since 1919, Winnipeg has enjoyed a high
quality reliable water supply from Shoal
Lake
- minimal treatment (chlorine for
disinfection prior to 1937, and fluoride for
dental protection since 1956)
Recently, fluoride was relocated to Deacon,
and orthophosphate was added for lead
control

Councils Decision
In 1993 Council
Accepted the recommendation to undertake
water
treatment within a ten year time frame
And established a Water Treatment Reserve
Between 1995 and 1999 a comprehensive program
of monitoring, pilot testing and engineering
studies was undertaken
In 2000, Council adopted a recommendation that
Winnipeg proceed with a water treatment program
This decision was supported by public
consultation, public health officials and the opinion
of an expert panel (low risk high consequence)

Why Treat Our Water?

Water treatment is about protecting
Public Health
The rationale for construction of a water
treatment plant is based primarily on
health concerns . Dr. Margaret Fast
Providing water that is safe and healthy
to drink received the highest priority .
March 1999 Customer Survey

Specific Objectives
Reduce the risk of a waterborne
disease outbreak caused by
chlorine-resistant microorganisms
Reduce chlorine disinfection byproducts
Meet the Canadian Drinking Water
Quality Guidelines

10

Waterborne Pathogens - Da
Bugs
Chlorine is effective
against bacteria and
viruses
Chlorine is relatively
ineffective against
Giardia and requires
high doses and long
contact times
Chlorine is not effective
against
Cryptosporiduim

11

Our New Water Treatment

Plant
A new Water
Treatment Plant is
being built at the
Deacon Reservoir Site.
The plant will be a
state-of-the-art,
modern facility
designed for
performance, safety,
and environmental
sustainability.

12

AERIAL VIEW FROM SOUTH WEST

13

VIEW FROM SOUTH EAST

14

Plant Design Life and Capacity

Water Treatment Plant Design
Life projected to be 2040
Maximum Finished Water
Production 400 ML/d
Average Finished Water
Production 254 ML/d
Minimum Finished Water
Production 100 ML/d

15

Location of the Water Treatment

Plant

16

Whats New at Deacon?

Ultraviolet light disinfection
New treatment facility, clearwell
and ancillary buildings (Stand-by
power, chemical storage and on-site
sodium hypochlorite generation)
Settling ponds and a new pipe to
transport wastewater from the plant
to the Citys sewer system
24-hour monitoring and security

17

What We Have Done So Far

Tested a number of water treatment
technologies and found the
combination that works best for
Winnipegs water
Completed Concept and Preliminary
design for the water treatment plant
Detailed Design is underway,
concurrent with construction

18

Early Ultraviolet Light Disinfection

The water will pass
through large pipes
containing ultraviolet
lamps.
The ultraviolet light
will make waterborne parasites, such
as Cryptosporidium,
harmless

19

Ultraviolet Light Disinfection

20

Ultraviolet Light Disinfection

21

Need for Multiple Barriers

What the experts and the industry recommend
with respect to the treatment of all surface water
is a multi-barrier approach. The first barrier is
watershed protection to ensure the best possible
raw water source. The next barrier is optimization
of the plant processes designed to achieve
settlement of particulates and sediment in the
raw water. The third barrier is maximization of
the efficiency and monitoring of the filtration
process which follows sedimentation. The final
barrier is to ensure the water is adequately
disinfected.[1]
[1] Justice Robert D. Laing, Commissioner, Report of the Commission of the Inquiry
into matters relating to the safety of the public drinking water in the City of
North Battleford, Saskatchewan. March 28, 2002

22

The Water Treatment Process

23

Settling Ponds
Algae and other solid
material will be removed
from the water and put in
the ponds.
The water will be
separated from the solid
material.
The solids will be removed
from the ponds every year
and hauled to Brady Road
Landfill.
We do not expect any
odour from the ponds.

24

Location of Settling Ponds

New Water Treatment Plant

25

What are the Challenges?

Environmental Issues
Organizational Issues
Market Conditions
Schedule
Finances
Risk Management

26

Environmental Effects
Assessment
An Environmental Effects Assessment study
of the effects the water treatment plant on
the environment and surrounding community
identified no adverse effects.
The study was voluntary it is not required
by our regulators.
The results were shared with stakeholders
and Manitoba Conservation.
The facility will be a zero discharge
operation - it will not discharge to the
environment.
Two Public Open Houses have been held in
Springfield;
All substantive issues have been addressed.
27

Organizational Issues
This is a large complex project with four
major consulting firms working from
geographically diverse locations
Coordination/communication through
ERoom
Construction Management and Fast
Tracking leads to risks and cultural issues
for City and Consultants
Hiring and training of certified operators in
time for commissioning and start-up (2008
by Council mandate) will be challenging

28

Market Conditions
Many large new projects will be
going to market over the scheduled
construction period
A period of high inflation within the
construction industry is forecast
(time = money)
A shortage of qualified contractors
and personnel is anticipated
We must make this an attractive
project for contractors

29

Schedule
April 2005
Finish preliminary design
and environmental effects
study
Spring 2005 Started building the water
treatment plant
Fall 2008Start testing the plant
End of 2008 Begin operating the plant

30

Construction Activities
Progress to date:

Long Delivery Valves and process equipment have been

prepurchased
Some piling has been prepurchased
Bulk Excavation for the WTP and the Clearwell has been completed
Construction of Yard piping, Clearwell and Raw Water Pumping
Station are underway.
About $40 Million in work awarded
Overall, we have committed about $78 Million to date

Upcoming Work:

WTP Concrete and Piling (Construction) - $55.9M

Freeze Thaw Ponds and related infrastructure - $6.9M
Mechanical and Electrical - $38.5 Million
Miscellaneous equipment, piping and infrastructure - $10 M
31

Finances
The original water treatment program
budget was $214 million to build the WTP
and $12.75 million/yr to operate
Council has approved an additional $13.3
million for risk mitigation initiatives and
$2.8 million for shops/staff consolidation
The current rate model will provide about
of $117 Million in cash financing
Once the plant is up and operating,
revenues from water sales are sufficient to
cover operating and debt servicing
without extraordinary increases to water
rates

32

Risk Management
This project conforms to new civic policies
on Risk Management
A two-day Risk Management Workshop was
undertaken, using a specialist consultant
120 risk items were identified by workshop
attendees
These were synthesized into 44 project
issues and 33 design issues by the Risk
Consultant.
Some of the risks are Serious to Critical
Further refinement; mitigation and
monitoring protocols have been developed;
risks are monitored on an ongoing basis and
reviewed at monthly meetings
33

Questions?

34