The thousands of tests of Woolwich’s drinking water done each year typically turn up only a handful of minor incidents. For 2013, the number of occurrences was down from the previous year.
Most of the minor non-compliance issues were resolved simply by flushing the affected areas with freshly chlorinated water.
The numbers for 2013 were reported to township council Tuesday night.
Woolwich crews test eight water systems daily. Their work is backed up by regular testing by Region of Waterloo technicians.
Last year, there were three occurrences in the Elmira/St. Jacobs system, the same number as in 2012. There were no occurrences reported in Heidelberg, after only one the year before. In the case in Maryhill’s two systems, there were no occurrences, down from two in 2012, while the two systems in Conestogo reported no issues instead of one. West Montrose also had a clean record, as it did a year earlier.
The issues in the Elmira/St. Jacobs system involved three readings of elevated total coliform levels. In each instance, the problem was resolved by flushing of the system, reported director of engineering and planning Dan Kennaley.
As with lowered chlorine levels, issues were more likely to develop in parts of the systems with dead-end pipes, where water doesn’t move around as often as in the typical looped areas.
In such cases, the incidents don’t mean the water is unsafe, simply that there is a technical issue that was quickly remedied, Kennaley explained.
Improved testing routines and work on the distribution systems themselves – such as eliminating dead-ends where water might stand – are ongoing to address compliance issues.
