City unveils water plant upgrades North Valley Echo - September 21/04 Enderby residents can now boast some of the best drinking water thanks to a recently completed upgrade of the City's Water Treatment Plant. A grand opening event was held Sept. 17 for the public and dignitaries to showcase the $360,000 upgrade. "We can now boast one of the most modern, state-of-the-art systems in the province and in Canada," Mayor Sue Phillips told the people at the event. The upgrade included installing a UV filter for better disinfection, a third distribution pump for improved efficiency and a new backwash pump that will consume less energy and better protect the environment. One third of the project came from senior government and Shuswap MLA George Abbott was at the event. Abbott congratulated the contractors, engineers and city staff on a job well done and commended the city on its lobbying efforts to secure the funding for the project. He said the project was funded through Canada/B.C. Infrastructure program because it fit the governments top criteria of public safety and environmental protection. "It's a good (project) and the people of Enderby have better drinking water as a result," Abbott said before the ribbon cutting with the Mayor. People were taken on tours of the plant to point out new improvements. City Works Superintendent Alf Soros said the plant takes water from two locations on the Shuswap River (at the plant and the Shuswap well) and from Brash Creek. Three distribution pumps are now directing more water through the filtration and disinfection system than before. Water can be pumped into the plant, into the system, to the users and up to the reservoirs (and back). The UV (ultra violet light) filter is used as an extra line of disinfection. It is able to kill more complex bacteria, such as chlorination process, Soros explained. The use of a UV filter is very advanced, making Enderby a forerunner in water treatment for domestic consumption. "We're right on top with regard to a multi-barrier system," Soros said. "And we have some of the best tasting water." The system is completely automated so that the pumps go on only when needed and they do not start until the UV filter is "warmed up" because the light used must reach a certain intensity before it can work effectively" he added. The new backwash pump uses less energy because the w does not have to be pumped up and then back down when cleaning the filters in the system. The second benefit is that the water used is not chlorinated so the chlorine does not have to be removed before going back into the river, which is much safer for the environment and saves money and time. While the upgrade improved operation efficiency and safety it did not increase its distribution capacity. Soros said that is the next step. The plant is constructed to house a second, or even third, filtration and disinfection system. The city has been working on the project for almost two years but the majority of the physical work took place over the last six to eight months. Coun. Dee Wejr said it is great to see infrastructure money being used to improve the city for residents and commended the work done. Greg McCune was on council when the city started the project and was on hand to see the unveiling. He was excited to see the projects completion and lauded the city on its efforts. "Water is becoming a commodity and its not something people can always count on anymore," he said. "Enderby has taken the steps to make sure we have good water for a long, long time."

We include this information about our City since we feel that the area water resources are important to businesses and families considering relocation to our area. In 1994 the residents of Enderby passed a referendum allowing the City to borrow funds to upgrade the water supply system. This source of funds was supplemented by a Federal/Provincial Infrastructure Grant. The upgrading was required to increase the water supply capacity to the City as well as improve the reliability of supply and fire protection. The initial stage of the project was to install a new reservoir and pump station in the Knoll area. These facilities would provide a reliable supply to the Johnson Street development as well as increase the fire storage to the City as a whole. The second stage of the project was to increase the City's water supply capacity. An intake into the Shuswap River was constructed to supply a new Water Treatment Plant. The Water Treatment facility is a packaged treatment plant supplied by BCA Industrial Controls. The plant consists of upflow/downflow sand filter/clarifiers which will be effective in protecting the public from water born diseases such as giardiasis and cryptospordiosis. Disinfectant of the filtered water is achieved by the addition of chlorine. Contact time required by the Ministry of Health is obtained in a clearwell located under the treatment plant. The treatment facility has been designed to allow a staged upgrading of the capacity. The plant is currently capable of treating approximately one half of the total supply system capacity. The plant capacity can be doubled to treat all supply sources by adding a second packaged plant in the existing building. The third phase expansion will increase the capacity to 2.64 million gallons per day which can service 5300 customers. The third phase will require a building addition. The treatment facility is capable of treating water from the Shuswap River, Brash Creek or the Shuswap River well. During peak demands (summer months) water from Brash Creek or the well bypasses the plant and is disinfected only.