Wheatley water treatment plant could take a year or more to repair

Ravaged in a fire last week, Wheatley’s water treatment plant could take a year or more to repair, Chatham-Kent’s public utilities commission heard on Wednesday.

However, officials assured residents it wouldn’t take that long to lift the ongoing boil water advisory, which remains in effect for the Wheatley and Tilbury areas.

Tim Sunderland, PUC general manager, said during the virtual meeting that damage from the Sept. 13 fire is “extensive,” with some equipment expected to take a long time for delivery.

“The site had undergone significant damage because of the heat and smoke,” he said. “As a result, the Wheatley treatment plant is non-operational.

“The expectation to return to normal operations at the plant has been estimated at a year or longer.”

The blaze originated in a generator undergoing regular maintenance and testing.

However, Sunderland said the full extent of the damage to equipment and electrical components is not known, as site cleanup is still underway.

Efforts to secure short and mid-term solutions, which could potentially include a mobile treatment plant, are ongoing, he said.

“Staff have been working continuously to manage the water system in a new way without the Wheatley water treatment plant,” he said. “This is being done through bulk water haulers into Tilbury and system interconnects with neighboring water supply systems.”

Sunderland thanked the towns of Leamington and Lakeshore for their assistance in supplying water to the affected areas.

As for the idea of ​​a mobile treatment plant, he said it would depend on where one is located in North America, as well as its availability and whether it can be operated to provincial standards.

“To set a date on a page, I think that’s a little premature yet,” he said. “We’re trying to investigate all of the options that are available to us.”

The boil water advisory, issued by Chatham-Kent Public Health, was implemented due to low water pressure.

Sunderland asked the community for patience as the commission gets its systems in order.

“The boil water won’t last a year and a half,” he said. “We just need a little bit more time to gain more confidence in what we’re doing and making those small changes to get to a long-term solution in how we’re going to operate.

“(Public health) is looking for us to say, yes, we can sustain this, so we don’t run back into another boil water as soon as we lift it.”

West Kent Coun. Lauren Anderson said the year-long timeframe for the plant’s rehabilitation is a lengthy one, noting the commission will need to effectively communicate the reasons to the public.

The councilor said she appreciated the efforts of staff during this time, noting the rest of the community does as well.

“It’s not something that we could have ever expected,” she said.

Residents seeking updates on the situation can call the water advisory line at 519-436-3250.