Improvements to towns water system under way

Sackville residents should start to see a noticeable improvement in their water over the next few months as Veolia workers begin the process of clearing the iron and manganese out of the towns water system.

Its going to take several months but you should start seeing the water quality getting better, said Rick Bennett, project manager of Veolia Water Canada Inc., the new company which was awarded a seven-year contract this spring to operate the towns water treatment plant.

Bennett, who provided town council with an update on Monday night of Veolias progress since the takeover on May 1, said several steps have already been taken to start the process of improving Sackvilles water, including critical equipment repairs as well as new pH level and rust corrosion control programs.

Give it a full year and youll really start to notice a difference, he insisted.

Its only going to get better and better.

Veolias trained certified staff started adding new chemicals to the towns water in June - including caustic soda for pH control and Aquamag, a corrosion control inhibitor.

Both chemicals, assured Bennett, are NSF-certified food grade chemicals and wont cause any harm to the potability of the water.

The caustic soda is expected to reduce corrosion in the distribution pipes and hot water tanks, which will reduce many of the residents rusty water problems.

Aquamag will limit the release of lead, copper and iron into the drinking water and reduce the formation of iron deposits and other byproducts of corrosion.

Much of the equipment has been repaired since Veolia took over operations at the treatment plant, including critical repairs to the main breaker, which could have resulted in a complete loss of power source to the plant.

A second air blower, which cleans the filter system, has been purchased for emergency purposes and a vacuum transmitter has been installed to notify staff in the case of vacuum loss in the chlorine system.

The chlorinating system is the most critical part of your entire plant, said Bennett.

Thats what deactivates the microorganisms in the water that you cant see with a naked eye.

Other work completed includes repairs to the diesel generator, the air compressor, the low lift pumps, the chlorine booster pumps, and the existing air blower.

Work got under way on Monday to add green sand to the filtration system, which helps control the levels of iron and manganese going into the water.

Capital expenditures so far have included an upgrade to the chlorinator as well as the purchase of a new desktop computer with high speed Internet, which allows staff to monitor your facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year.