Town Engineer Jon Eppell explaining why Sackville is at risk of a water shortage
Tantramar’s town engineer has revealed that Sackville is at risk of running short of treated water unless something is done about three, 27-year-old pumps inside the water treatment plant off Walker Road.
“I’m not sure if people have understood that we’ve had difficulties over the last 15 or 16 months meeting the demand for water in Sackville,” Jon Eppell told Tantramar Council at its Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday.
He explained, for example, that when firefighters were battling the blaze that destroyed Joey’s restaurant last year, they needed to pump additional water from Silver Lake.
Eppell added that the town has been managing the risk of a water shortage by repairing water main breaks quickly and adjusting the flushing of the system.
But he warned the risk continues and needs to be dealt with.
Lengthy investigations
Eppell said it took a long time to figure out why Sackville’s water system was producing less treated water than needed.
Among other things he said, investigations ruled out leaks in water mains or in the storage tanks at the treatment plant.
“We looked at flow meters to make sure those were accurate and then we came to the low-lift pumps.”
He explained that water from three deep wells is pumped into a large tank underneath the treatment plant.
He said the three low-lift pumps lift that raw water a considerable height, run it through water filters before it gets chlorinated and then flows into an even-larger, treated water tank ready for distribution in Sackville.
He said the pumps were installed around 1997 and do not appear to have been refurbished or serviced since then.
“We believe that there’s wear in the impellers, the blades that push the water through and we’ve concluded that they are operating in some cases at perhaps less than 50% of the expected efficiency.”
Council concerns
Councillor Matt Estabrooks wondered if it would be more prudent to buy one new pump
Eppell said that because money is tight, he was recommending that Council authorize spending $36,300 to refurbish one of the pumps, a process that could take at least 11-12 weeks.
“Would it possible, or even maybe more prudent, to order a new pump and have it on hand?” Councillor Matt Estabrooks asked.
“If we are at low capacity possibly with three, worn-out pumps and we remove one, then we’re running on two until we can get the refurbishment done,” he said.
Estabrooks suggested the new pump could replace each of the existing pumps as they are refurbished.
“That would be the best solution, I agree,” Eppell answered even though he noted a new pump would cost an extra $20,000.
Councillors Barry Hicks and Bruce Phinney agreed it would be best to buy a new pump.
And Councillor Josh Goguen suggested that buying a new pump could mean less of a delay in getting the whole system operating efficiently again.
In the end, Council referred the matter to their regular meeting on September 9th where they could authorize the purchase of a new pump.
To read Jon Eppell’s full report to council, click here.
Veolia contract
Since 2007, Sackville’s water treatment plant has been operated and maintained by Veolia, a multi-national company based in France.
After the amalgamation of Tantramar in 2023, the contract was amended to include Dorchester’s water system.
Veolia also runs Moncton’s water system and at Monday’s Tantramar Council Committee meeting, Jon Eppell said the company can continue to offer its services to Tantramar because its much-larger Moncton contract has been renewed for five years.
“The only reason that we are able to have Veolia come in and do this work is because they have the much-larger project in Moncton,” he said.
“If they did not have that, they would not be coming to New Brunswick and offering their services,” he added.
He recommended renewing Veolia’s contract with Tantramar from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2029 at an initial monthly fee of $31,382.87 and an additional annual cost this year of about $46,000, or an increase of about 12.2%.
Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell suggested Tantramar needs its own certified water treatment staff
Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell was the lone dissenting voice when Council voted to refer the matter to its regular meeting on September 9th.
She said Tantramar should have staff trained and certified in water treatment in case Moncton opts out in five years and Veolia leaves the province.
“Tantramar water treatment and staff should be certified and up-to-date so if something happens down the road, they’re ready to take over.”
“That’s always been a big concern of mine,” she said. “Water is a very important part of our system.”
To read Jon Eppell’s report to council and the amendments to the Veolia contract, click here.
Bruce – save me the agony of watching the council meeting – perhaps my questions are answered there.
1. Why have the pumps not been maintained since installation?
2. Were these pumps part of the Veolia’s contract since 2007 as part of the operation and maintenance?
Excellent questions, Brian. I look forward to the answers, too…
Brian and Janet, those questions weren’t answered during the council meeting and I didn’t ask them during the public question period. As my article shows, the councillors who spoke during the meeting were trying to find the best way to solve the potential water shortage after they were told the town is at risk. If you do not wish to watch the council meeting, Jon Eppell’s report summarizes all the main points that were discussed: https://warktimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Eppell-report-on-lift-pumps.pdf
Tsurumi Canada in Dieppe may be able to help find a solution for a new pump.
Thanks Bruce. It would seem like obvious questions for council to know the answer to. It is good however there is a way forward.
I would think clarification is needed about who was/is responsible for the pump maintenance going forward. Was it town staff or contractor non- performance? Town staff since 1997 are long gone but contractor since 2007 is still around and the town is entertaining giving them a new contract. Time to tighten up procedures and/or contracts.
Upon being elected to the village of Dorchester council in 2015, the Mayor assigned me to the water and sewerage portfolio which I had handled in the past. ACWWA provides courses for municipal councils. The course was held at the yet-to-be completed Saint John water treatment plant. Brian A Hazlett introduced me as a rarity in New Brunwick.
There were two ways in New Brunswick that treatment plants were run. Number one operate until it’s broken and then do necessary repairs, or follow a regime of frequent maintenance. For example, water pumps have an expected number of hours of operation and are pulled off line during a slack time and refurbished if needed. If gauges showed that pumps were not meeting pressure requirements, repairs were made. You don’t need to buy a new pump, same as you don’t have to get a new car if a part isn’t working.
The word maintenance is in the Veolia contract.
The contract specifies class Two operator for village and pen.
Class three for Sackville.
Class 2 operator one employee that looks after the water and sewerage. Here is what is required. An operator who is familiar with the materials, principles and skills required in the water and waste water operation.
The duties of a certified level two water and maintenance operator includes preparation of reports and liaison with government departments, disinfection of system materials and components, calibrating online and portable monitoring equipment, dealing with system emergencies and installing new equipment.
This included Dorchester’s operator being farmed out to say Port Elgin.
$370.000 to read dials is a pretty expensive joke on citizens. The water treatment plant should look like a milk plant. The town engineer says: “I’m not sure if people understand that we’ve had difficulties in the last 15 or 16 months meeting the demand for water.”
Well how could directors or anyone understand? Most citizens understand that the directors shouldn’t be making day-to-day decisions, but if they are to formulate laws and policies they need to know what those day-to-day decisions are and how they are arrived at. Good governance requires councillors who follow A.L.I.S T. the acronym for Accountability, Leadership, Integrity, Stewardship, Transparency.
I decided against contracting water and sewer out to private companies because once you pass over the keys, you can’t pop the hood on this old auto. Without a proper proposal using a SOPPADA format you’ll never make many Tantramar Targets. By the way, SOPPADA is an acronym that refers to effective ways of presenting messages and/or assessing proposals. It stands for Subject, Objectives, Present situation, Proposal, Advantages, Disadvantages, and Action recommended.