Infrastructure ‘High Standard’ Successes

Recently, the Lions Bay Budget and Finance Committee met. In our discussion, as Mayor, I provided an overview of the status of our Infrastructure and the success of Lions Bay in achieving high standards.

The Committee members, asked me to provide this information regarding these ‘high standards’ to the community. For some, this will be information that you may already be aware of.

We can be very proud in Lions Bay, that our two Ultra-Violet Water Treatment Plants and our Secondary Sewage Treatment Facility, meet high standards.

The Village of Lions Bay, while small, is a leader and should be proud of having achieved these high standards.

Two Ultra-Violet Multi-barrier Water Treatment Plants :

Lions Bay has two water intake systems. Both the Magnesia and the Harvey Creek Water Treatment Plants are now Ultra-Violet Multi-barrier Water Treatment Plants. “The former chlorination system has been replaced with an updated system that delivers liquid chlorine secondary treatment, rather than chlorine gas as was used prior to the upgrade,” Chuck Partridge, Public Works Manager reports.

Following the May, 26^th, 2000, Walkerton, Ontario contaminated water tragedy, new legislation and multi-barrier standards were sought. Farmland water run-off had entered the Walkerton water system, creating initial illness within the community,that went undiagnosed, but tragically led to the death of seven, predominantly young residents, from e-coli poisoning. The Walkerton water system had unmonitored chlorine levels which resulted in this tragedy and led to a change in the Ontario and Federal water legislation.

While this situation would be unlikely for many water systems, and not likely for the Lions Bay water system, the Federal Government put an increased focus on treating, monitoring and testing water regulations, with ultra-violet multi-barrier systems identified as the new standard.

The Village of Lions Bay Council began preparing for the anticipated water legislation change in the early 2000’s, when, as Mayor, I appointed a Water Committee. The Village of Lions Bay received a $1.8M Build Canada 2/3 Funding Grant which assisted in constructing the Ultra-Violet system.

The Ultra-Violet Multi-barrier Water Treatment Plants - required additional staff, training and requires skilled monitoring. Lions Bay has safe, clean water ~ drink and enjoy !

Lions Bay Water Treatment, meets the highest Canadian water legislation standard. Lions Bay residents can be very proud. The Seymour/Capilano now meets this standard with their Ultra-Violet upgrade. The Coquitlam water system has not, as yet, received this upgrade, but it is being planned.

Thank you to our Public Works crew for maintaining and protecting our water flow and supply.

Secondary Sewage Treatment Plant:

In approximately 1979/1980, the Village of Lions Bay Council required that the developer of Kelvin Grove put in Secondary Sewage Treatment at the Lions Bay ~ Kelvin Grove Sewage Treatment Plant. Currently, Metro Vancouver has not yet achieved this standard at either their Iona or Lions Gate Sewage Treatment Plants, despite this being a goal for Iona since the late 1960’s.

The Save Howe Sound Society was very active from about 1977. Michael Broughton and I were Directors on the Save Howe Sound Society, along with then resident, Roberta Clark. Michael served on Council for two terms, as an Alderman, 1976 to 1980. Bowen Island was not incorporated until the late 1990’s and was, at that time, part of Electoral Area ‘A’. There was a submission for a large Hotel and Golf Course in the late 1970’s. This development proposal included Primary Sewer Treatment, not Secondary Sewer Treatment. This development did not go ahead.

As a result, we, as Directors of the Save Howe Sound Society, became knowledgeable about the difference between Primary and Secondary Treatment. For the good and welfare of the underwater and water shore environment, the choice was simple ~ Secondary Sewage Treatment.

Secondary Sewage Treatment was advocated for, and subsequently, required by the Village of Lions Bay Council for the Kelvin Grove Sewage Treatment Plant. This places Lions Bay in a very solid position, already providing Secondary Sewage Treatment. The discharge pipes run 300 feet below the water surface and the outflow pipe is 600 feet long, and runs west into Howe Sound.

Following the completion of the rebuild of the Sewage Treatment Plant, recently, “Maintenance of the Kelvin Grove Sewage Treatment Plant was stepped up to meet Environment Canada’s strict regulations after the upgrading and replacement of major components that satisfy reporting requirements to Environment Canada, WorkSafe BC & Workplace Health and Safety regulations as well.

This coupled with regular maintenance will extend the Sewage Treatment Plants useable life and help to prevent significant capital expenses in the near future.” Chuck Partridge, Manager of Public Works, reports.

The work was completed with the assistance of a Build Canada 2/3 Funding Grant.

The ongoing maintenance is adding an additional small annual expense. The Village is maintaining maximum efficiency of the Sewage Treatment Plant by pumping it out every 9 months. This regular maintenance will add to its useable life and help prevent significant capital expense in the future.

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