A ceremony was held on Friday, April 24th, 2009 marking the official end of three water projects that began in 2000 and cost approximately $4.5 million. In attendance at the ceremony was MP Cheryl Gallant representing the Federal Government that contributed $677,157 towards the projects. A statement was read from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky – the Province of Ontario contributed approximately $1,500,398 towards the projects. Representatives from Robinson Consultants, Detra Contracting, members of Council and staff were also in attendance to celebrate the upgrades.

• The Beachburg water upgrades consisted of control systems, spill containment and backflow prevention.  
   
• The Cobden water upgrades included the installation of a new package filtration plant, chemical solution tanks and spill containment.
   

 
System Information

The original Beachburg Water Treatment Plant was constructed in 1955. Due to increased population an expansion to the facility was completed in 1994. The new treatment system, located at 31 Robertson Drive, provides for treatment, including the precipitation of iron, by utilizing pre-chlorination, alum flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration. Sedimentation is enhanced by the use of tube settlers and filtration is accomplished using two dual media Sand/Anthracite filters.

Online analyzers continuously monitor the chlorine residuals and also the turbidity levels throughout the plant process. These analyzers are connected to an alarm system, monitoring many other operations of the plant, immediately notifying personnel in the event of problems.

Upgrades to the system in 1994 included a backup drilled well, an increase to 150,000 gallons in clearwell capacity, and a standby power generator ensuring continuous operation and control during power outages.

Further upgrades completed in 2009 included a new programmable logic controller, new online chlorine and turbidity analyzers, new chemical metering pumps, and new chemical tanks with spill containment. A sludge settling system was also upgraded to allow low turbidity settled water discharge to Jackson Lake. A filter-to-waste sequence was added to the filter backwash system to ensure complete removal of harmful organisms following backwashing cycles.

The upgrades to the system provide a treatment process that brings the system into compliance with Ontario Ministry of The Environment Regulation 170/03. The Class II Water Treatment Plant and Class I Distribution System currently serve a population of 900.
Water Source
The Water Treatment Plant is supplied by a dug well that was constructed in 1955. It has proven to be an excellent source of water. This 12 feet wide, 25 feet deep, well is surrounded by a steel casing and has a concrete block building covering it. This construction prevents surface water from entering the well and prevents any potential vandalism.

In 1993, a second drilled well, having an 8 inch steel casing was constructed behind the original dug well. This is also an excellent source of water and pumping records show the safe yield capacity of the well to be 180 gallons per minute. This well serves as a backup for the dug well during summer lawn watering periods as well as for additional fire protection.

 
A ceremony was held on Friday, April 24th, 2009 marking the official end of three water projects that began in 2000 and cost approximately $4.5 million. In attendance at the ceremony was MP Cheryl Gallant representing the Federal Government that contributed $677,157 towards the projects. A statement was read from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky – the Province of Ontario contributed approximately $1,500,398 towards the projects. Representatives from Robinson Consultants, Detra Contracting, members of Council and staff were also in attendance to celebrate the upgrades.

• The Cobden water upgrades included the installation of a new package filtration plant, chemical solution tanks and spill containment.
   
• The Beachburg water upgrades consisted of control systems, spill containment and backflow prevention.
   
• The Haley water upgrades included a new well, a standby power generator and an addition to the Heather Street pump-house.

 
System Information

The Cobden Water Treatment Plant, , located at 28 Bonnechere Street, was constructed in 1979 and underwent upgrades which were completed in 2009. Upgrades included a new raw water intake connection, new low lift pumps, new larger clearwell and high lift pumps all of which replaced a pump house built in 1950. A new control system, new more efficient coagulation system, new package filtration system, new chemical storage tanks with spill containment and new chemical metering pumps were also installed.

The treatment consists of coagulation/flocculation using alum, sedimentation, filtration, and chlorination. A polymer coagulant aid  is used in conjunction with the alum. Sedimentation is enhanced with the use of tube settlers and filtration is accomplished using dual media sand/anthracite filters. Disinfection is accomplished with post-chlorination using sodium hypochlorite.

New on-line analyzers were installed to monitor chlorine residuals and turbidity levels throughout the process. These analyzers are connected to an alarm system which monitors many other operations of the plant immediately notifying personnel in the event of problems.

In order to combat a recent Zebra Mussel threat to the 1100 meter raw water intake pipeline a potassium permanganate injection system was installed. This system which became operational in 2010 is operated when the water temperature exceeds 10 degrees to prevent the mussels from clogging the pipeline. The permanganate system is also used to remove manganese from the water, a problem that produced brown/black water discoloration in previous years.

The Town’s distribution system, originally constructed in 1950, was upgraded in 1988 to include new water mains and a new 900 cubic meter elevated water storage reservoir.

The upgrades to the system provide a treatment process that brings the system into compliance with Ontario Ministry of The Environment Regulation 170/03. The Class III Water Treatment Plant and Class I Distribution System currently serve a population of 1000.

Water Source

The source of water for the treatment plant is Muskrat Lake, a fairly large body of water of good quality for treatment purposes. The Muskrat Lake watershed ranges from forested land through agricultural to urban areas. Infilling water to the lake enters through Muskrat River at the Southeast end, Snake River at the Westerly side, and a number of underwater springs. Flow exits the lake via Muskrat River at the Northwesterly end of the lake.

The Treatment Plant intake is 2 meters above the lake bed at a depth of 12 meters, in a northerly direction 1100 meters from the plant, and about 600 meters from shore. This intake was a 1976 upgrade to the system replacing an old intake that extended 45 meters from shore directly out from the plant.

Because of the location and depth of the intake, raw water quality does not change quickly and seasonal influxes of algae to the lake have minimal impact on treatment. However an increase in summer manganese levels in the lake and the recent appearance of Zebra Mussels necessitated the addition of a potassium permanganate injection system to the plant. This makes it easier for waterworks staff to produce consistently safe water having excellent aesthetic qualities.

 
A ceremony was held on Friday, April 24th, 2009 marking the official end of three water projects that began in 2000 and cost approximately $4.5 million. In attendance at the ceremony was MP Cheryl Gallant representing the Federal Government that contributed $677,157 towards the projects. A statement was read from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky – the Province of Ontario contributed approximately $1,500,398 towards the projects. Representatives from Robinson Consultants, Detra Contracting, members of Council and staff were also in attendance to celebrate the upgrades.

• The Haley water upgrades included a new well, a standby power generator and an addition to the Heather Street pump-house.
   
• The Beachburg water upgrades consisted of control systems, spill containment and backflow prevention.  
   

 
System Information

The Haley Water System was constructed in 1944 to supply water to the townsite which provided housing to the employees of the nearby magnesium mine. The Township of Ross owned and operated the system since 1975 until the present owner, the Township of Whitewater Region, assumed control January 1, 2001.

The well water system was changed completely with upgrades that were completed in 2009.

Two new drilled wells, using pressure controlled variable speed pumps, were constructed at the Heather Place site replacing the old well which was decommissioned following upgrades. A new pump house building was constructed replacing the former log building. A programmable logic controller and electrical panel was installed in the pump house along with new chlorine metering pumps and a new on-line chlorine residual analyzer. The analyzer is connected to an alarm system which monitors other operations of the plant, immediately notifying personnel in the event of problems. New piping and automatically controlled valves were installed in the building along with magnetic flow meters for each well. A pump-to-waste feature that operates upon well duty alternations was also installed.

Outside the pump house and underground a chlorine contact chamber of sufficient size to meet disinfection requirements was constructed with a sample line feed back to the chlorine analyzer. This line is also used by operators to take bacteriological samples for analysis. A natural gas fuelled standby power generator was installed inside fencing that surrounds the well casings.

The townsite distribution system is scheduled for replacement in 2010.
These upgrades to the system provide a treatment that brings the system into compliance with Ontario Ministry of The Environment Regulation 170/03. The Class II Distribution and Supply system currently serves 34 residences.

 
System Information

The Cobden Wastewater Treatment Plant, Located at 1 Astrolabe Rd. in Cobden, was constructed in 1978 replacing an old system of lower treatment capability and capacity. The new system features secondary treatment using extended aeration and phosphorus removal is accomplished using Ferric Chloride. Disinfection of the plant final effluent is done in a chlorine contact chamber using sodium hypochlorite solution.

An online analyzer monitors the chlorine residual in the final effluent leaving the plant. This analyzer is connected to an alarm system, monitoring other operations of the plant, immediately notifying personnel in the event of problems.

The Town’s wastewater collection system upgrades include new sewer mains and a sewage lift station servicing the Wren Subdivision. A standby power generator was added to the plant in 1999 ensuring continuous operation and control during power outages.

The outfall of the plant final effluent discharges to an 11 acre bermed marsh area at the head of Muskrat Lake. This marsh serves as a natural final polishing stage for the final effluent further minimizing any negative impact on water quality in the lake.

Sludge produced at the plant is disposed of under Ministry of The Environment Organic Soil Conditioning program by spreading on agricultural fields. The Township operates it’s own Organic Waste Management System under licence by the Ministry of The Environment. Due to the prohibition of spreading sludge on frozen ground, during these periods of time, sludge is hauled to the Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre in Ottawa for disposal.

The upgrades to the system provide a treatment process that meets Ministry of The Environment standards for municipal sewage discharges. The Class III Wastewater Treatment Plant and Class II Wastewater Collection System currently serves a population of 1000.

Compliance Information

The Township of Whitewater Region Wastewater Treatment Plant is operated in accordance with the accepted practices under certification of it”s operators by the Ontario Ministry of The Environment. Operation and in plant testing is done by operators licenced for Wastewater Treatment. All outside analysis is done by accredited laboratories. Compliance with sampling and analytical requirements is adhered to under Ministry of The Environment Regulations and the Certificate of Approval for the plant.