Temporary Wheatley water plant could be running by March: PUC official

If all goes as planned, a temporary water treatment plant could be operating at the Wheatley Water Treatment Plant by March.

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Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission general manager Tim Sunderland updated commissioners meeting Wednesday on progress since a Sept. 13 fire shut down the water plant.

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“The PUC staff has been working diligently since the first week to build a temporary water treatment plant on the site,” he said.

“This is not a small feat,” Sunderland added. “We’re basically designing and constructing a temporary . . . plant so we can supply enough water through the summertime months to meet our demand in the system.”

He praised the PUC engineering and operational staff for “a great job sourcing equipment, planning, working through the logistics of actually doing this and making it work.”

PUC has worked closely with the Environment Ministry’s approvals branch and suppliers “to make sure we have something in place for early spring,” Sunderland said.

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The ministry has approved the use of two temporary treatment trailers, set for delivery in late January, he said.

“We need to have those operational by March,” he added.

Water is still being supplied via an interconnection with Leamington and from the southern water treatment system in Chatham-Kent, Sunderland said.

A restoration company is still removing damaged equipment and doing a second round of cleaning in parts of the fire-damaged plant, he said.

“Attempt removal of the old generator that was damaged is scheduled for late January and then the cleaning can start in that area,” he added.

Two other reports also provided an update on costs.

Since the fire, more than $732,000 has been spent on emergency purchases to provide water service to the Wheatley and Tilbury areas and start emergency restoration work, Sunderland said.

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The largest expense has been nearly $460,500 to haul water to the Tilbury reservoir as needed.

Sunderland said these expenses will be submitted for reimbursement by the PUC’s insurer; costs not covered will come from general reserves.

Providing bottled water to Wheatley and Tilbury residents affected by a Sept. 28 to Oct. 5 boil water advisory cost more than $194,500, including about $139,500 for water and $55,000 for labor, one report said

The cost will be funded by the PUC 2023 water reserve.

Bottled water was provided after a notice of motion from West Kent Coun. Lauren Anderson at Chatham-Kent council’s Sept. 15 meeting.

Anderson, who also serves on the PUC, noted the motion included a request to develop a policy on distributing water. She asked if the policy is being worked on.

The committee in charge of distributing the bottled water is working on a policy, Sunderland said. “It’s not written, yet, but it’s in the process.”

Anderson said she called for a policy after fielding calls from affected residents seeking bottled water.

“If there isn’t a policy there, then I couldn’t properly give a response to people,” she said.

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