Post--SAC Dec.3 Thoughts

It's apparent that Greater Vernon Water is putting lipstick on a pig.

You can only do so much to Duteau creek water which enters the Duteau water treatment plant before you find yourself admitting you're throwing good money after bad.

The upland surface water from the Aberdeen Plateau simply isn't suitable for the high quality potable water that Interior Health demands for public consumption.
It requires too much treatment, plain and simple.
And that treatment creates its own problems...by-products.
Dangerous by-products.

What is particularly odd is that Interior Health--the public agency demanding that GVW protects the public from microbiological diseases--doesn't appear to be even remotely concerned about the long-term health effects from byproducts of water treatment.

But what is really upsetting is that the TM7 Summary--produced by RDNO from the long form of consultants' memoranda--omits some of the most critical details of the treatment plant process.

How convenient that omission is for bureaucrats and some long-serving elected officials, all of whom are determined to not mothball the Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant.

Is it any wonder people are suspicious of the intent of bureaucrats?

Don't believe it?
See for yourself.

The 46-page TM7 on Treatment (of both Mission Hill and Duteau Creek water treatment plants is linked.
Pay particular attention to the HAA5s comment, "HAA5s ...regularly exceeding Canadian guidelines by 60 per cent" scroll to page 22 at this link.  

See if you can find that comment in the 6-page TM7 Summary here.
It's not there.

Back to Interior Health wanting filtration.

• Is it because E.coli can kill you more quickly than the carcinogenic Trihalomethanes?  THMs are also found in Duteau source water (pre-treatment) as chloroforms.

• Is it because enteric viruses and protozoa create more pain than the carcinogenic Haloacetic acids (used in the dermatology industry as skin peels).  HAA5s in GVW's water distribution system exceeded Canadian guidelines by 60 per cent.

• Is it because total coliform counts are more dangerous than total organic carbon?

• Is it because aluminum content in tapwater isn't yet scientifically proven to contribute to Alzheimer's?

Trihalomethanes were the only treatment by-product that GVW tracked, and THMS consistently exceed Canadian guidelines.
Giardia and Cryptosporidium are chlorine tolerant protozoa that "are present" in the Duteau system.
Health Canada's microbiological parameters are here.

As SAC committee members prepare to review TM9 at their December 17th meeting--albeit likely looking only at the Summary--do they know the answer to this question:

"Do TM Summaries include the most important stuff found in the Technical Memoranda?"

The answer is "probably not", as the example above proved.

During the December 3rd SAC meeting, presented by Brett deWynter of AECOM Jennifer Miles of RDNO their comments included:

Brett:  "You are blessed with a lot of water in this area", referring to Duteau, Kal, OK Lakes.  $80.9 million is required to complete ag separation, but that doesn't include most agricultural areas in BX and north Vernon.  Some smaller areas would never be separated because “there’s little bang for the buck”.  (Blog note:  This is where the GVAC unanimously Adopted Motion, presented by Garlick, “need of supply type” should become available for irrigators who will never receive raw water again; they would then receive the ag irrigation water rate...an equitable solution). 

Kalamalka Lake and Duteau Creek combine for 50 year demands, adding that transfers were feasible.

Goal is to reduce consumption from 271 to 250/day. 

Re unaccounted for water.  Brett first stated 10-15% of water is unaccounted for, after which a SAC member stated it was a lot higher than that.  Brett agreed, saying 10-15% of water leaks is considered normal, but that we were higher.  Zee Marcolin said we’re at 20-30%. Brett felt it’s probably more of a data management issue.  The Master Water Plan lists accurate data and proper reporting as a key strategy.

But 8,000 Ml missing/unaccounted for?  Eight thousand megalitres missing?  That's more than Vernon's domestic consumption!   

Jennifer added that mechanical meters 20 yrs of age slow down or stop completely.  Data is missing from Jan-June 2014.  Fire fighting, water main flushing, sampling stations (“some run all night, some all year!!!!!”).  Have been replacing 200 meters a year but they want to increase that to 1,000 annually.

Jennifer advised that VID “allowed some bypasses in old areas."

“reclaimed water is your most expensive water...the most expensive way to irrigate land”

  

Listed conservation initiatives and showed consumption decrease as Stage 1 water restriction implemented.  Graphs from other years/stages. Talks at schools, OBWB, irrigation/ag recording per crop software.

Brett’s stunning statement:  “reclaimed water is your most expensive water...it’s the most expensive way to irrigate land”.  He asked “Who is going to pay to get the pipe to Coldstream Ranch lands for corn irrigation?”  Cranbrook and Vernon have reclaimed water plants, with Vernon the largest.  Reference was made re gravity feed from DCWTP at 650m elevation.

Stated asset value (replacement costs) for entire system is $619.6 million.

Total ag replacement costs for entire separated system (pipes) is $137.2 million.

The entire distribution system infrastructure (domestic and ag) replacement cost is $619.6 million.

Brett: cost/Ml is lower for Lavington/Coldstream separation; almost 4x higher for Vernon / BX /North.

 “when ag conserves, there’s no hit to our revenue”

Jennifer:  indicated a 10 year goal for reducing water consumption.

50% rates infrastructure, 50% consumption (“it used to be 70% consumption”).

Zee Marcolin said “when ag conserves, there’s no hit to our revenue”. 

80% of costs are fixed, e.g. electricity, chemicals, wages.  Zee:  “Biggest costs are maintenance and employees”.  Brett added that only salt comes from Canada (Saskatchewan); all other chemicals are affected by the low Canadian dollar.

“You definitely have chlorination byproduct issues”

Re DCWTP, Brett:  “You definitely have chlorination byproduct issues”.  Kal Lake was discussed re turbidity and intake being right across from where Coldstream Creek enters the lake.  Marl was discussed, and roto-tilling (OBWB plan/timing vs. Wood Lake discussed because it freezes earlier so harvesting has to be done before Kal...Kal timing Dec / Jan).  Okanagan Lake has no marl...inorganic.  Kal Lake filtration plant (consistently see Kal Lake turb over 1NTU) $20million and “you’d never have an issue again”.  Heather Larratt’s study link will be added to RDNO website as it’s an extensive study that shows lowering the water intake to 30m (from the current 20m) is worse during seiches.

A question was asked re treatment and numbers to report to Interior Health.

“Can numbers AFTER DAF be reported?”  Brett indicated they were discussing that with IHA (instead of the pre-Dissolved Air Flotation numbers that are currently reported to Interior Health. 

THMs and HAAs briefly discussed, aluminum levels are elevated.

Kal area watershed.  More uses at Duteau watershed...lots of forestry, cattle, recreation, some cities’ reservoirs are fenced.  Ours aren’t.

Q:  can agriculture bypass DCWTP?  Yes there is a bypass pipe already...For ag separated areas (Springfield / Learmouth Road)...Von Keyserlingk station apparently serves the newly-separated area.

MH 56 Ml/day $30 million?  Space is reserved for a filtration plant at MHWTP.

DC 24 Ml/day...total domestic is 80 Ml/day

Expansion cost range $20-45 million, facility greater than 200 Ml/day $60 million...but it won’t fit on the site.

Request for current operating costs for both plants.  Graphs, energy, equipment, chemicals, wages.  Marcolin/McTaggart:  NO pipe costs are included in any of those costs.

Brent began with “If you decide to keep using DWTP for domestic water...”  The word “if” was welcome.  He added: ..."filtration needs to be eventually done at DCWTP."

MHWTP and DCWTP graphs both stated “estimated” operation cost.
Don’t they have solid numbers YET?

SAC Chair Jim Garlick concluded the meeting by suggesting SAC members tour DCWTP.


"Directions to DCWTP aren't necessary...it's the pig on the hill, with the lipstick," says Kia.

Resource:  TM 9 full report is here.  TM 9 Summary is here.  If you have some time, maybe compare the data in both.
    
Resource:  TM9, after six revisions, is found:   TM9 System Separation Option Analysis .
Added for review, by request, is Mike Stamhuis' 5-page letter to GVW's McTaggart, found at this link.