Overview

Neptune Technology Group (Canada) Ltd has been retained by the Town of Gibsons to carry out the cross connection and water meter installation project for residential properties. The Town will be paying for the installation of residential cross-connection control — also known as Backflow Prevention Devices or BFDs — and water meters ($460,000 by a provincial grant) while industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) business owners without existing metres will be required to install new meters at their own expense.

An Open House was held on February 11, 2009 to provide details to members of the public. CLICK HERE for a copy of the presentation.

This project is being undertaken to bring Gibsons water standards into compliance with provincial standards. Options for the Town included: 1) installing cross connection control or 2) chlorinating the Town water supply. The recommendation from staff was the installation of cross connection control in conjunction with the installation of water meters.

Cross connection control

A reversal of flow in the customer's system and/or into the distribution system and can be created by any change of system pressure wherein the pressure at the supply point becomes lower than the pressure at the point of use. When this happens in an unprotected situation the water at the point of use will be siphoned back into the system, thus, potentially polluting or contaminating the remainder of the customer's system. It is also possible that the contaminated or polluted water could continue to backflow into the public distribution system. The point at which it is possible for a non-potable substance to come in contact with the potable drinking water system is called a cross-connection. To prevent backflow from occurring at the point of a cross-connection a backflow prevention assembly must be installed.

Hot Water Tanks

Newer hot water tanks are fully equipped to handle the impact of the installation of BFDs, specifically, Thermal Expansion. However, residents with an older tank (over 10 years old and likely at the end of its lifespan) should consider a new tank or, at the very least, ensure that their existing tank is equipped with a Thermal Expansion Tank and Temperature and Pressure Relief valve, and that these devices are functioning properly.

Please refer to this HOT WATER TANK BROCHURE for more information about hot water heaters.

Thermal Expansion

Thermal Expansion refers to the characteristic of water to expand when it is heated. Unlike air, which can be compressed, water grows in volume when heated and must be accommodated. The increase in pressure from thermal expansion can be prevented when water flows back into the public water system. This backflow is a health concern which BFDs will address. However, a BFD creates a "closed system" where alternate provisions must be made for thermal expansion.

It is highly recommended that residents have their hot water tanks equipped to handle thermal expansion. Please refer to this THERMAL EXPANSION BROCHURE for more information.

Water Conservation (View Water Conversation Tips)

The installation of water meters educates residents to the amount of water they are consuming and allows the water consumers information to control the amount of water they use and, consequently, their annual cost for this commodity. Meter readings will also assist the Town in identifying how much water is actually being consumed and how much is being lost through leaking pipes, enabling the Town to put their efforts to address this problem where they are most needed. Meters also provide the Town with data to set appropriate rates to cover the costs for maintaining, operating and renewing water infrastructure.

Water Rates

Initial water use rates for the first year after meter installation will be set at $370 per household per year, which is more reflective of SCRD water rates (SCRD supplies water to approximately 25% of the Town as well as to most of the South Sunshine Coast outside of the Town of Gibsons). Subsequent years of this user pay system will be charged at a unit rate/cubic metre of water used, based a median of $370 per household. Households that conserve water will be financially rewarded by seeing a reduction in their water bill while those households that use more water will have that higher usage reflected in their billing.