PROJECT STATUS: Design and Planning
BUDGET: $75,000 (Design and Planning Only)
The District of Hope water network is divided into a number of distribution zones. Generally, these are unconnected and water cannot be transferred between them. In recent years there have been efforts to improve aspects of water storage with two new reservoirs replacing an open storage basin and a concrete reservoir at a low elevation. The water network has been extended gradually since the 1940s, generally coinciding with the town’s development. The condition of the distribution network is currently acceptable but the age of many watermains means that increasing levels of pipe replacement are on the horizon. Because the water network has grown with the town, pipeline design does not always meet current requirements. The District’s water model has been updated to assist with the analysis of the network. Existing service pressures and fire flow capacity were then evaluated under average day demand (ADD) and maximum day demand (MDD) conditions. Neighbourhoods currently lacking sufficient service pressure and fire flow capacity have been identified.
The capabilities and shortcomings of the water system have been used to identify improvements and prepare a water system capital plan. The capital improvements have been prioritized to improve the capacity of the water supply and meet the projected demands. The general improvements are as follows;
- Increased connection between the systems to allow source capacity to be shared, and as protection against loss of supply;
- Additional water storage to provide for fire flows, and at higher elevation to increase water pressure;
- New wells to replace existing capacity, as many wells are aging;
- Network expansion in support of development;
- Long term programmed replacement of aging water mains
Connection of 138m Zone to East Kawkawa Lake
There is a limited practical ability to fight a fire in the East Kawkawa Zone at this time because the East Kawkawa Reservoir only has a capacity of 53m3. It is designed to store water for efficient pump operation, and not for fire fighting. A nominal reservoir capacity around 500m3 would be needed for a single-family residential fire. Rather than build this reservoir and a new well to back up well 8, this scenario proposes a new 300mm diameter supply main between the 138 Zone and the East Kawkawa Zone (see Figure 1). Wells 8 and 10 would become available to both zones, providing redundancy which is currently a critical shortcoming of both systems. It is likely to be necessary to replace the Well #8 pump to accommodate the change in pumping conditions.
Figure 1 - Zone 138 - East Kawkawa Lake Zone Connection