More information on hazard ratings.
Inspection Information:
| Facility Type: | WS1A |
| Inspection type: | Routine |
| Inspection date: | November 12, 2020 |
| Follow-up Required: | No |
This facility was given a moderate hazard rating.
More information on hazard ratings.
Violations:
A summary of the violations found during the inspection are listed below.
| Code | Description / Observation / Corrective Action |
| 313 | Inadequate treatment Observation: Provincial 4-3-2-1-0 surface water treatment objectives are not being met. Kitimat Community Water System has a surface water source (Kitimat River), infiltration galleries and gas chlorination. As per Northern Health’s 2016 Public Health Engineering Report, infiltration galleries are “classified as a pre-filter and are not eligible for pathogen reduction credits under the BC Groundwater Treatment Objectives (MoH, 2015a). An infiltration gallery does not qualify as a filtration system”. Also, monitoring data also shows that turbidity sometimes exceeds the objective of one nephelometric turbidity unit (NTU) or less. During the last 12 months, three water quality advisories have been issued because of elevated turbidity in the distribution system. Corrective Action: The District of Kitimat has completed a Water System Assessment which has identified possible water treatment upgrades that will meet Provincial surface water treatment objectives. A timeframe for proposing and installing adequate treatment has been developed and has been made into a mandatory condition of the water system’s operating permit. The District of Kitimat has been meeting this timeline. |
| 313 | Inadequate treatment Observation: Water chemistry data indicates that the water is corrosive and so on private properties that have older plumbing components, leaching of lead and/or copper into drinking water may occur. The District of Kitimat has provided a newsletter on lead in drinking water to water users in the past, and there is information on lead available on the District of Kitimat’s website. The water supplier has also conducted a household sampling program to collect data on lead and copper levels from a representative sample of 50 private residences. The results from the sampling show that centralized corrosion control is appropriate. Corrective Action: Water treatment to reduce the corrosion of lead-containing materials at residential sites will need to be proposed and implemented (in accordance with the timeline in the operating permit conditions). The District of Kitimat has been meeting this timeline. |