The Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), the township’s water and wastewater system operations contractor, presented council with a review of 2017 activity on April 24.
OCWA business development manager Natalie Baker explained OCWA is Canada’s largest water and wastewater systems operator.
The agency currently services 75 per cent of the existing outsource market in Ontario, with clients including municipalities, First Nations, industries and institutions.
Province-wide, OCWA manages more than $20 billion in municipal infrastructure, including $4.4 million in water and wastewater assets for Mapleton, which in 2017 renewed its contract with the company.
Baker pointed out both Drayton and Moorefield water treatment systems received a 100% rating on inspections by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, with no non-compliances, in 2017.
She also noted no non-compliance issues were revealed in external drinking water quality audits for both the Drayton and Moorefield water systems.
In terms of asset management OCWA managed $213,900 in capital projects for Mapleton in 2017.
The company also:
– facilitated the installation of high efficiency blowers at the Drayton wastewater treatment facility;
– completed full fire flow testing and hydrant identification in Drayton; and
– installed a new supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system for Drayton water distribution and supply system.
Out of a total of 299 work orders executed by OCWA on Mapleton’s behalf, 195 were preventative in nature, 87 were operational and 15 were corrective, Baker stated. One was related to capital while another was issued on an emergency basis.
“Over the past year OCWA has assisted you with two weather-related flooding events,” Baker noted.
She explained the agency has five emergency response teams located across the province that can be dispatched to help out when “additional support and equipment is required.”
In response to a question from councillor Dennis Craven, Baker said the emergency response teams are generally able to be on the scene within one or two hours, while local operators are on hand within minutes to access any potential emergency situations.
Mayor Neil Driscoll thanked the OCWA delegation for its efforts and results.
“One hundred per cent compliance. That’s something that Mapleton was lacking in the past,” he said.
“And since we’ve got everyone working together now it seems to work out a lot better. So thank you to you and your team for that.”
Baker replied, “We really value the partnerships we have made in Mapleton.”
Council accepted the report as information.
