watermatters

• Metro Vancouver Tap Water Upgrades

  Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015

  Capilano Distribution System: Twin Tunnels in Operation
  After more than a decade of problematic construction the Twin Tunnels which join the Capilano reservoir with the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant were put into operation in early April, 2015.

  The two parallel tunnels are each 7.1 km long, bored beneath Grouse Mountain and Mount Fromme. Water is pumped from the Capilano Reservoir (lower elevation) through the ‘raw water’ tunnel for combined treatment with water from the Seymour Reservoir at the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant (higher elevation) where raw water gets filtered, radiated with UV (Ultra-Violet) light, then chlorinated.

  Treated water is then shunted back down to through the ‘treated water’ tunnel to the Capilano distribution system.

  The Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant is at a higher elevation than the Capilano Reservoir. Consequently excess pressure created by the treated water returning to Capilano generates energy that is being captured by an energy recovery system. This harvested energy will partially offset the cost of power needed to pump the raw water from Capilano to the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant.

  The total cost of the Seymour-Capilano Filtration project was just over $800 million.

  ‘Capilano’ supplies tap water to most of the District of West Vancouver, western North Vancouver, Vancouver and Richmond. Residents and businesses in these areas should notice a significant year-round improvement in the clarity of tap water as a result of these upgrades.

  Seymour Distribution System

  Water quality coming from the Seymour watershed has been upgraded since the launch of the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant in 2010. The plant treats water by filtration, UV (Ultra-Violet) light, and chlorination before introducing it into the distribution system.

  ‘Seymour’ supplies North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, eastern Vancouver, Burnaby, Delta, Surrey, Port Moody and New Westminster.

  Coquitlam Distribution System: UV, Ozone & Chlorine

  Since 2014 a UV Disinfection Facility (ultraviolet) has been treating water going into the Coquitlam distribution system. In addition, Coquitlam water is disinfected with ozone (since 2000). UV and ozone only disinfect at the time of application. Therefore chlorine is added to Coquitlam water before it goes into the distribution system to act as a residual disinfectant as water travels to your tap.

  ‘Coquitlam’ supplies Coquitlam, Langley, eastern Surrey, Port Moody, New Westminster, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Belcarra and Anmore.

   

   

   

  Posted in News & Initiatives, Vancouver Water

• Tunnels, Troubles and Your Tap Water: $820 Million Hangs in the Balance

  Sunday, January 29th, 2012

  Is the Seymour Filtration Plant, completed December 2009, delivering filtered water to your tap year-round, during the rainy season only, or not at all? The answer depends on where you live and/or work, and how much longer this delayed and over-budget project will take to finish.
  
  Swollen budget, delayed delivery
  Although the Seymour Filtration Plant is completed, it is just one component of Metro Vancouver’s Seymour-Capilano Filtration Project. Unforeseen difficulties prolonged the boring of twin tunnels (each more than 7km in length and almost 4 metres in diameter) through the base of Grouse Mountain. These tunnels still need to be lined and hooked up. Their intended purpose is explained below.

  The budget for this massive yet-to-be-completed project has swollen from $600 million to $820 million. Fraught with difficulties, the original 2009 completion date has been pushed back to 2013. Read on to find out what this means for you.

  Know your source water*
  Metro Vancouver supplies water to 18 municipalities** from 3 wilderness reservoirs in the North Shore Mountains – Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam (see second map). Water from snowmelt and rain runoff is captured in these reservoirs.

  • Seymour (yellow) reservoir  typically supplies eastern Burnaby, South Surrey & western New Westminster.
  • Capilano (purple) reservoir normally supplies western North Vancouver, Vancouver, Richmond & western Burnaby. See exception below.
  • Coquitlam (green) reservoir supplies Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Langley, eastern New Westminster & Coquitlam. Its water is treated with ozone and chlorine and is not part of the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Project.

  Delivered by gravity
  Because these 3 reservoirs are situated at higher altitudes, gravity is the most cost-effective means to deliver water downhill to your municipality (see purple, yellow & green areas on map).  Typically, your water will come from the reservoir above (directly north of) your municipality (rather than cross-pumping from another reservoir).  The exception is the Capilano area (purple).

  Water quality challenges close Capilano reservoir during winter months
  Until the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Project is completed (2013?), those of us in the purple area will get unfiltered Capilano water (via gravity) during the summer months and filtered Seymour water (via cross-pumping) during the winter months (approximately late September to late April). The geological conditions surrounding the Capilano reservoir introduce an excessive amount of sediment into the water in the winter rainy season. This condition is called turbidity.

  Why Twin Tunnels?
  The tunnels are Metro Vancouver’s intended answer to this Capilano  water quality dilemma. When completed, one of these tunnels will pump water from the Capilano reservoir to be filtered at the Seymour Filtration Plant. Once filtered, the other tunnel will shunt water back to the Capilano reservoir for downhill (gravity) distribution to the Capilano (purple) area.

  

  Schematic from Metro Vancouver publication about the S-C Filtration Project

   

  Chlorine added to all sources
  No matter which reservoir your water comes from, chlorine is added before water is sent into the distribution system.

  

  SFP Filter Gallery – photo by Mary Johnston, Nov 2011

  Seymour water filtered then chlorinated
  The Seymour Filtration Plant uses a process called coagulation and flocculation to remove sediment from the incoming source water. Water then goes through a massive UV (ultra violet) treatment ‘gallery’. (See photo) Finally, chlorine is added before sending the finished water into the distribution network.

  Fortunately, fluoride is NOT added to water in Metro Vancouver.

  If you own a home in the Metro Vancouver area and want to control the quality of your tap water with water filters specifically for your local water condtions, read details here and here.
  If you rent your home in Metro Vancouver, find countertop options here and here.

   

   

   

  *The colour coding referred to in this article is based on the 2006 map supplied courtesy of Metro Vancouver. Delineations are not precise and changes may have occurred since the map was created. To verify the source of your water, contact your municipality’s water quality department.

  **The 18 municipalities to which Metro Vancouver supplies water are as follows:
  Anmore
  Bowen Island
  Burnaby
  Coquitlam
  Delta
  Langley (City)
  Langley (Township)
  Maple Ridge
  New Westminster
  North Vancouver (City)
  North Vancouver (District)
  Pitt Meadows
  Port Coquitlam
  Port Moody
  Richmond
  Surrey
  Vancouver
  West Vancouver

  ***The aerial view of Seymour-Capilano Water Utility Projects (with red scematic overlay) and the Cross-section of the Twin Tunnels are from Metro Vancouver’s online publications about the project.

  Posted in Vancouver Water, Water Treatment Guide

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