Fire Hydrant Flushing

Do your kids, grandkids, or even you, like to watch the firefighters flush the fire hydrants? Good news! Starting April 13th the fire hydrant flushing show begins. The show runs every Monday evening 7:00 - 9:00 beginning in the east end.

Sometimes the flushing will cause your water quality to change Tuesday or Wednesday. If that happens flush your toilets and run your taps and the quality will be restored. In the rare occasion that your water quality is not restored after you have flushed your toilets and your taps more than once, then call the Town.

Thanks and it is good to see another rite of spring.

Water

It has been brought to my attention that there are some people who think the Town has a water shortage. The Town does not have a water shortage. We have sufficient water for all of our residential, commercial, and industrial needs; this includes the new developments coming on stream in the next year.

As a quick backgrounder: we pipe our water 55 kms from the South Saskatchewan River. It is pumped to Snipe Lake where it is stored in an underground reservoir and then pumped east to Eston and surrounding RMs and north to Kindersley and surrounding RMs. Our water is stored in a reservoir and then pumped from there to Kindersley where the Haubrich Water Treatment Plant processes the water and distributes to our neighbouring RMs on the water line and Kindersley. If I recall correctly water is pumped to Kindersley at 48 litres per second. The Haubrich Water Treatment Plant treats water at about 45 litres per second and then pumped to the Water Tower to be distributed in town. One of our operating procedures is if the stress on the Haubrich Water Treatment Plant is to high then the Haubrich Water Treatment Plant Manager calls industrial users and tells them to shut down.

The challenge that the Haubrich Water Treatment Plant faces is flow rate. For example: some users use a lot of water very quickly. The Haubrich Water Treatment Plant can only clean water at a certain rate. Thus if the Haubrich Water Treatment Plant can only process water at 45 litres per second, but some users want water at 60 - 90 litres per second, then there will be a problem in an hour. When water is consumed faster than it is produced the required water is drawn out of reserves; typically this is done during non peak times such as late in day and very early in the morning. Once the consumption is back to a level where production is greater than consumption, then the reserve is built up again. Kindersley has enough water, the challenge is some users draw water faster than it can be produced. We don't have a water shortage; it is a question of managing rates of consumption for sustainability.

We have taken steps to address our challenges:

• the backwash water project with Hollands; 
• once this project is fully implemented it will reduce demand on the Haubrich Water Treatment Plant about 15% or more.
• tiered water rates;
• a user pay philosophy to encourage conservation.
• developing a mechanical waste water treatment plant with a water product suitable for industrial purposes;
• this will reduce the amount of water treated by the Haubrich Water Treatment Plant.

We are looking ahead to ensure Kindersley is not one of the 130 communities around Saskatchewan that has been told by provincial authorities that our infrastructure cannot support any more growth. Recently I met a mayor whose community had to reject new housing and commercial and industrial development because their infrastructure could not support growth. Kindersley is in a good situation. Council and Admin are working together to implement our:

• Asset Management Plan
• 10 Year Capital Plan
• Infrastructure Needs Assessment
• Official Community Plan

We have the infrastructure to support growth but the real bottleneck holding up sustainable growth is housing. And, I want to assure you I am tired of saying this: "we are working on it."

One final note on this topic: last week I met with and gave a tour to a Ministry of Economy official about the growth in Kindersley. He too will now be helping us with housing in an indirect manner.

As Sir Isaiac Brock said: Surgite! (Onward)

Water Rates

Sticker shock is the best way to describe my first reaction to the suggested water rate increase. The reason for the sticker shock? The debt servicing charge on the Water Tower and EK Water line, which benefited from a low interest program set up by the provincial government, is about $1,152,355.35 including interest per year and rates have not been adjusted since 2011.

Paying for the water tower and water line is not cheap. Equally divided between every water meter means each water meter needs to contribute $155 4 times (3 month billing cycle) a year or $620 per year to pay the $783,000 in principal plus $369,355.35 for a total of $1,152,355.35 to service the debt on the water infrastructure. Or, should there be a separate rate for residents and business such as $135 for residents and $185 for businesses? On top of this is the consumption charge.

Another factor to consider is the reserve level for utilities. Because rates have not been raised since 2011, and costs have increased, the reserves have been depleted much faster than is prudent. Approximately $1 million needs to be paid back into reserves. The question Council had for Administration is how quickly does the reserve have to be paid back? What is the risk if we pay it over 3 years rather than 2 years?

Administration has been developing some options for Council since the last meeting during which a 1st Reading was given to the new rates. As a result some of the new options, in broad terms, include:

1. the original presentation by Administration during the last meeting based on tiered rates;
2. slightly lower consumption rates, tiered, so that the reserves are replenished at a less aggressive or slower rate.
3. a 50% debt repayment fee for every water meter plus a lower tiered consumption rate; and
4. a 100% debt repayment fee for every water meter plus a lower tiered consumption rate.

These are some of the options being worked on. I have not seen the numbers they are using except the debt repayment fee.

Here is how the tiered rates work.

Residential

• two tiers
• 0 -25,000 gallons per 3 month cycle is one rate,
• more than 25,000 gallons per 3 month cycle means an extra charge only for the water used above 25,000.

As an example if you use 26,000 gallons in your 3 month water bill cycle you will the base rate on 25,000 gallons and the higher rate on 1,000 gallons.

Commercial

• five tiers

1. 0 - 50,000 gallons per 3 month cycle
2. 50,001 - 200,00 gallons per 3 month cycle
3. 200,001 - 500,000 gallons per 3 month cycle
4. 500,001 - 1,000,000 gallons per 3 month cycle
5. more than 1,000,000 gallons per 3 month cycle

• each level is to be at a different rate and the rate is only charged for water used at a particular level.

Consider, if a business uses 300,000 gallons during their 3 month water cycle then they pay the base rate on 50,000 gallons, the second rate on 149,999 gallons and the third rate on 99,999.

Considerations

• What is a fair method to charge?
• Should low users pay the same as high users given that the more water used does not make it cheaper to produce? (do low users subsidize high users?)
• What share should residents pay?
• What rate reflects a charge level that encourages business growth and water conservation?

These are some of the things we are considering with the new water rates.

There is a public meeting during Council Monday evening. Please attend if you would like to learn more, have questions, or want to express a concern.

I will be out of town with my family and unable to attend. Normally I would ask you to email me you thoughts but I will not be checking emails or messages while I am gone; my wife has laid down the law.

Water Treatment Plant: Backwash Water

This past Council Meeting, August 26, 2013, Council accepted a partnership with Holland Hot Oiling to capture the backwash water from the Bernie Haubrich Water Treatment Plant and use it for fracking purposes. This is an innovative project and, according to industry experts, is unique and may provide a template for other communities and companies to follow.

Bernie Haubrich Water Treatment Plant - September 2013

Currently 18% of the water through the water treatment plant is used for backwash, backwash is the water used to clean the filters at the water treatment plant. The goal is to reduce the demand on potable water by using the backwash water for fracking purposes. Water capacity and security is expected to increase as a result of this partnership.

Backwash Water Area - Sept 2013

The outlines of the deal are simple: for exclusive use Holland's Hot Oiling will develop the site to capture the backwash water and pay the Town for the water. At the end of the deal the Town receives the infrastructure developed to capture the backwash water.

Moment with the Mayor: Celebrating the Completion of the Water West Project

Hi Everyone:

June 24^th saw the celebration of the completion of the Water West project. The Water West project is the partnership between the Towns of Eston and Kindersley, and the RMs of Kindersley, Snipe Lake, Mariposa, Newcombe, Antelope Park, and Chesterfield for the delivery of water to our municipalities. For Kindersley, the project meant upgrading the capacity of the water pipeline that is 55kms long, and enhancing the quality of our water produced at the newly renamed Bernie Haubrich Water Treatment Plant.

The Water West Celebration, June 24, 2013

The story of how we get our water is a good one. Our source water is the South Saskatchewan River south of Eston; pictured on the left. From there, water is taken into shield wells and then pumped from the riverbank up a steep hill, seen below, from where it flows on to Eston and Kindersley. It is easy to marvel at the technology but what most impresses me are the partnerships that formed (some dating back to 1964) to get the project started and completed.

Urban legend has it that Mayors Joe Martin and Eric Halpenny shook on the deal after drinking a bottle of liquor. For two and half generations since, Eston and Kindersley have been working together securing our water and ensuring our future.

I am proud to be the most recent Mayor of Kindersley to be a part of the project. The Water West project first started with Mayor Ed Woloshyn and continued with Mayors Mike Hankewich, John Boquist, and Wayne Foster. I was also very proud to unveil the plaques commemorating and renaming the CN Reservoir as the Eldon Brick Reservoir and the Kindersley Water Treatment Plant as the Bernie Haubrich Water Treatment Plant.

It is easy to see and celebrate the Stanley Cup or Grey Cup Champions. By the same token, June 24^th was an important day to celebrate our overlooked and unsung champions in Kindersley and Eston. It takes vision and courage to push forward a project like Water West, and before that, the original Eston-Kindersley (EK) water pipeline. The Water West champions saw the problem, worked for a solution, persisted through challenges, and administered the routine until completion. Civic champions are often unsung, and June 24^th was a day to celebrate true champions of our region: Joe Martin, Eric Halpenny, Eldon Brick and Bernie Haubrich. I am honoured to continue working for the future of Kindersley and West Central Saskatchewan, as have these men.

Do you know a champion? We are looking for someone to nominate for the Saskatchewan Order of Merit. Likewise, I have been trying to discover if the Town of Kindersley has a civic award to present. If you know about a Town of Kindersley award let me know.

Please write or phone if you would like me to discuss a particular topic. If you have any questions or comments drop me a line at the town office or email me at mayorenns-wind@kindersley.ca. I appreciate your feedback.

Have a good week!

Moment with the Mayor: Water

Hi Everyone:

It is turning out to be a dry spring, which is allowing a lot of farmers to get their crop in without any problems. A question that has arisen is whether the Town has enough water. In short, the answer is yes. However, we can’t be complacent and need to continually plan for the future. Water is critical to Kindersley and is protected by Council’s Ends Policy E.O.1.c: “There is more than an adequate supply of high quality drinking water to meet current and future demands.”

Here are some quick notes about our water.

·         Saskatchewan Water Security continuously praises our Water Treatment Plant Manager, Kevin Baliski, for the quality of our water.

·         Currently, Kindersley and the surrounding area including industry users consume 660g/min or 180m³/hour;

·         The maximum rate at which the plant can produce is 770g/min or 230m³/hour.

·         Consumption this past winter was up considerably due to industrial use, measuring between 1,700m³  - 2,100m³/day.

·         Summer consumption is around 2,500m3/day.

·         Water West is a partnership between 7 municipalities including: Town of Kindersley and Eston, RMs of Kindersley, Antelope Park, Chesterfield, Newcombe, and Snipe Lake.

·         The reason we pay a premium for our water is because it is piped 55 kms from the South Saskatchewan River.

·         A challenge we are facing is human resources. At this time the plant can run up to 17 hours per day but another person needs to be hired with the right training to ensure the quality and quantity of water that is needed.

·         We are looking at selling our backwash water to industry.

·         We still owe $11.5 million to complete the Water West project. The debt repayment is part of our water utility bill and does not come out of our property tax revenue.

In conclusion we have enough water for the immediate and near future but have to plan long term; we can’t afford to be complacent.

June 24^th is the official opening of the Water West Pipeline to celebrate the water upgrades in West Central Saskatchewan and the Town of Kindersley. Representatives from the Canadian government (which has made a 50 percent contribution to the project) and the provincial government will be in attendance. This project began in late 2001 and is now almost finished. Some key people will be recognized, such as the late Bernie Haubrich and the late Eldon Brick. One of the pump houses will be named after Eric Halpenny, the Mayor of Kindersley when the first Water West Project was completed in 1964.

Please write or phone if you would like me to discuss a particular topic. If you have any questions or comments drop me a line at the town office or email me at mayorenns-wind@kindersley.ca. I appreciate your feedback.

Have a good week!