WATER NEWS
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May 22nd, 2020watermatters is now located at 3622 W. 4th Ave in Vancouver, BC.
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Metro Vancouver Tap Water Upgrades
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015Capilano 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.
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Twin Tunnels Launch Delayed to 2014
Saturday, April 28th, 2012Twin tunnels, each more than 7km in length and almost 4 metres in diameter, have been bored through the base of Grouse Mountain to send water from the Capilano Reservoir to the Seymour Filtration Plant.
This $820 million project was originally scheduled for completion in 2009. Fraught with delays, the tunnels are still not in service. Consequently, unfiltered water from Capilano Reservoir that supplies tap water to western Metro Vancouver during the summer, remains too murky to use in the winter months. The latest projected completion date and start-of-service using the Twin Tunnels is now 2014.
- Cross Section of Tunnels. Image from Metro Vancouver online publication about the Seymour Capilano Filtration Project
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Did Your Tap Water Change…on April 18?
Saturday, April 28th, 2012If you live or work in Vancouver, western North Vancouver, western Burnaby or Richmond (see map) the answer is probably…Yes.
Since September 2011, your tap water has been coming from the Seymour Filtration Plant because the Capilano reservoir was closed for the winter season. Winter rains wash excessive dirt and sediment into the Capilano reservoir, making the water murky and too difficult to disinfect effectively.
On April 18, 2012, Metro Vancouver put the unfiltered Capilano reservoir back in service. You may have noticed a change in the clarity of your water in the week following this change, as did Metro Vancouver. Heavy rains at the end of April stirred up so much sediment that the Capilano reservoir was temporarily taken back out of service.
According to an official at Metro Vancouver’s water quality department, a decision is being made on May 7, 2012 about when to re-open the Capilano reservoir for summer use. Turbidity levels of tap water from the 3 reservoirs (Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam) are posted daily on the front page of the Vancouver Sun and on Metro Vancouver’s website.
What this means for you
If you receive your tap water from the Capilano reservoir in the summer months (approximately April/May to September), you may notice that your water is not as clear during this period.
If your water is coming from the Capilano reservoir, the pH of your tap water may drop below 7 to the acidic side of the pH scale.
Lime is added to water coming from the Seymour reservoir after it passes through the Seymour Filtration Plant. This raises the pH to make tap water slightly alkaline. The reason why Metro Vancouver makes this pH adjustment is because acidic water is corrosive. By making tap water slightly alkaline, water supply lines last longer with fewer leaks. Leaching of heavy metals is also minimized when tap water pH is above 7.Impact on water filter performance
If you use a good quality water filter, you may find that the water flow though your filter slows down more rapidly in the summer months due to elevated sediment levels (turbidity) in your tap water that may clog the filter. Similarly, shower filters may lose their ability to reduce chlorine more quickly during this summer period. Filter cartridges should be changed if this slow down occurs.
Future changes to your water
If you live or work in western Metro Vancouver, you can expect your tap water supply to switch back and forth, seasonally, between Capilano Reservoir and the Seymour Filtration plant until the Twin Tunnels that join these two sources are finally put into service. This is now anticipated to happen in early 2014.
All tap water in Metro Vancouver is chlorinated
Chlorine is introduced to all tap water in Metro Vancouver, regardless of whether it comes from the Capilano or Coquitlam reservoirs, or from the Seymour Filtration Plant. The purpose of adding chlorine to our tap water is to disinfect it.
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