748 replies to this topic

[jklymak]

^ The ferry is different because you can just reduce sailings to reduce costs. Its not like the CRD can make supplying water cheaper just because we use less of it, so I really don't understand what alternative folks think there is, but to raise the rates? How would the private sector handle this differently, assuming anyone would be foolish enough to get into the water-supply business.

[Bingo]

^ I really don't understand what alternative folks think there is, but to raise the rates? How would the private sector handle this differently, assuming anyone would be foolish enough to get into the water-supply business.

You might be able to generate power as the water travels down the Kapoor tunnel from the reservoir to the treatment plant.

http://en.wikipedia....i/Kapoor_Tunnel

[jklymak]

^ Given that the CRD uses pumps already, I don't think there is any spare hydraulic energy waiting to be exploited, is there?

[LJ]

^ How would the private sector handle this differently, assuming anyone would be foolish enough to get into the water-supply business.

Foolish enough to get into the water supply business? Are you kidding?

If anyone ever offers you a chance to buy a water supply company - take it!

You are supplying a product that has no downside and people must have it.

You can grumble about the price but you will pay it no matter what the cost.

It is a hugely profitable business, in the US most water suppliers are private, and one of the companies doing it is Epcor, a Canadian company that just bought Arizona American Water last year.

[phx]

How would the private sector handle this differently,

They would likely encourage people to water their lawns during the summer instead of letting the grass die.

[jklymak]

It is a hugely profitable business, in the US most water suppliers are private, and one of the companies doing it is Epcor, a Canadian company that just bought Arizona American Water last year.

Fair enough - I guess I was thinking about it backwards. However, the point remains that prices aren't going to go down short term if people use less water in either a public or private ownership of the monopoly.

[Bingo]

Once a year the CRD closes down the 8.8 km Kapoor tunnel, and inspectors walk through looking for cracks.

So I wonder what the backup plan would be if that tunnel collapsed in an earthquake, cutting off the water supply from Sooke Lake?

[VicHockeyFan]

Once a year the CRD closes down the 8.8 km Kapoor tunnel, and inspectors walk through looking for cracks.

So I wonder what the backup plan would be if that tunnel collapsed in an earthquake, cutting off the water supply from Sooke Lake?

Oh Lord, we aren't going to die of thirst if that's what you mean. Maybe a few weeks without hot showers.

[sebberry]

If Kapoor is closed for inspection, what supplies our water and why isn't that a suitable backup in the event of an earthquake (assuming that isn't damaged too)?

[sebberry]

Maybe a few weeks without hot showers.

Ick, I think I'd rather be crushed by the rubble

[VicHockeyFan]

If Kapoor is closed for inspection

A fun trick would be to have a couple guys hide in the tunnel, come in from the other end, when the inspection team is walking down, they come around a corner and Booo!

[sebberry]

That's probably why they don't inspect on Apr1 or Oct31

[VicHockeyFan]

Or when they are in there just turn the valve on a bit so a small stream of water starts coming up behind them and wets their boots. DO NOT use Oak Bay public works to perform this fun prank, they will likely turn the valve the wrong way.

[Bingo]

Drinking Water News

Public Tours of Water Supply Facilities
May 6-11, 2013

The Capital Regional District (CRD) Integrated Water Services department is offering
free public tours of the Greater Victoria water supply facilities including the Sooke
Dam and the ultraviolet treatment plant. Learn how our high quality drinking
water is delivered from the source to your tap. Read more

http://www.crd.bc.ca/water/index.htm

[HB]

Drinking Water News

Public Tours of Water Supply Facilities
May 6-11, 2013

The Capital Regional District (CRD) Integrated Water Services department is offering
free public tours of the Greater Victoria water supply facilities including the Sooke
Dam and the ultraviolet treatment plant. Learn how our high quality drinking
water is delivered from the source to your tap. Read more

http://www.crd.bc.ca/water/index.htm

You are too late this was fully booked by wednesday they have been advertising this in the TC and local papers starting 3 weeks ago.
I have a spot on Monday.

[Bingo]

You are too late this was fully booked by wednesday they have been advertising this in the TC and local papers starting 3 weeks ago.
I have a spot on Monday.

I had my lunch on the top of the dam during a tour 5 years ago. It's an interesting tour.

The intake




The treatment plant

[sebberry]

You are too late this was fully booked by wednesday they have been advertising this in the TC and local papers starting 3 weeks ago.
I have a spot on Monday.

Darn, this would have been a neat tour to go on. Looking forward to the report, HB!

[HB]

Ok This is my official report on the Tour I was present at on Monday.

If anyone wants to get a seat on a tour this week I suggest that you get down to the Thetis Lake Parking area by 8:30 am and ask if there are any cancellations and if there are you can ask to take those seats.
On Monday there were a few cancellations or no shows.

The CRD offers these free tours on National Water Week.
I will explain how the trip went.

They offered 2 different tours a 5 hour tour or a 3 hour tour.

I took the 3 hour because the 5 hour was full but I did see that there were 3 cancellations for the 5 hour and when I asked they said I could switch if I liked.


My tour departed at 9:15 am.

I arrive at Thetis Lkae at 8:30 and the signage is great as to where to go.




I friendly guy asks if you are with a tour and if the answer is yes he gives you a parking pass so that you dont get a ticket for non payment.




After parking I walk over to the white tent to register. They have all the passenger names and numbers. They welcome you and cross off your name. I take my pack with a snack and water and place it in the bus. Its good to arrive early so you are not left with the seat next to the toilet. I like to be fairly near the front so that I can ask questions without having to yell from the back.


Now I had time to mingle chat and look at some of their diplays in the parking lot. There was a fire suppression display some maps and some giveaway swag like magnets and water dye tablets.


There were 2 coaches there and they were clean and nice.



Everyone was given a folder with all kinds of info on the tour as well as maps and a comment card to fill in if desired at the end of the trip.
My tour guide was Joel and he answered as many questions as he could and if he didnt know the answer he said so. He used a mic so everyone could hear him and as a good guide he repeated every question over the PA so everyone could hear the question and his answer.

This trip entered the watershed on Sooke Lake Rd just past Ma Millers Pub.
The 5 hour trip enetered in the north end near Shawnigan Lake also on Sooke Lake Rd

When we got to the gate we were met by 2 pilot cars who would lead and tail us through the trip. They had radio contact with our bus and any other traffic out on the roads.
At the gate the sign said they had 15 accident free days on site. I wondered but did not ask.




Our 1st stop of 3 was at the Japan Gulch UV treatment and clorination facilty.



We were here about 20 minutes and were given a lesson inside the control room then had a walk through of the UV treatment plant.



These pipe contain all of the water that is sent into Victoria and surrounding areas and into Sooke . There are 14 of them and they are opened and closed depending on demand.The UV treatment is done in these pipes as the water passes through them. Clorination is done a little further down the line. These 14 pipe are later merged into 3. When they arrive in the urban areas they are again plit into more and head off in different communities.



Our next stop was at the Sooke Lake Reservoir.
The drive through the Watershed is on dirt roads and there is no good sest on the bus. You get to see a lot of trees and not much else. there are a few glimpses of ponds but not much else. Joel talked most of the trip and answered many questions so it was not a boring ride.
When we arrived at Sooke Lake we all disembarked and had a talk about the facility near the intake . Here he showed us charts and other data and gave a good description of what we were looking at and how it all worked.

Arriving at Sooke Lake Dam from base of it.






This next photo shows a boat on Sooke Lake. Now all along the tour we were told about how clean teh water is , how it is treated how safe it is and how the watershed is protected by gates and fences and patrols. They even addle the eggs of Canada Geese to manage the population to prevent too much colifomrn from their droppings getting into the water.
The oddest thing i sthat this boat has an internal combustion motor on it. Exhaust oils and gas probably get into the water. the people on teh boat work for CRD water and take samples from many parts of the lake.

I found it extremely odd that they would use a gas powered motor on the lake. I questioned Joel on this and pointed out that most all lakes in the Victoria area (Elk Lake exempted) require electric motors only to prevent pollution. After all the talk about the safey measures and here they use gas motors on the main reservoir.

His answer was that the lake is very large and they use the gas outboard in case the lake gets rough and the boaters need to get off fast.


At the east end of the dam by the spillway there were tents set up with information panels , tables chairs and complimetary coffee,tea .
and hot choco.
There were also 4 porta johns.
The porta johns had plastic bags that you do your thing in and small wood shavings to toss in later that absorb moisture just dont wipe with them you dont want slivers down there.
Someones job at CRD to change these out at times.




At this end of the dam the spillway is located. the spillway dumps water out of the reservoir when it is full. This water flows down and joins the Sooke River and goes to sea.
If the water pouring over the spillway is more than 5 ft high another valve is opened and takes more water out of the reservoir through a pipe next to the spillway.
The Sooke Reservoir is toattly full right now. It stopped pouring over the spillway 2 weeks ago. So when they talk on the radio about going to level 2 or 3 water rationing you can know that its propoganda. There was actualy little lines of water pouring over from the wind pushing it over the edge.



V3P1PERaAcU



The final stop was at the Goldstream Reservoir but our time there was short because the trip was running late and the bus had to get back to pick up the people for the afternoon 3 hour tour.





The trip was really good and informative. I had been in the watershed many times in the past as I used to work for a silviculture company and thinned out many trees there. I have been to all the lakes but this trip was a relaxing one that was full of info.
I would recommend it to anyone. Bring something to eat and some water.

The following maps show the water distribution in the Victoria area and the other map shows the Tour Routes.


Purple line is the 5 hour tour Orange line is the 3 hour tour

[tedward]

Wow, thanks for that comprehensive report. I almost feel like I was on the tour.

[Bingo]

Is the lake full yet?