More information on hazard ratings.
Inspection Information:
| Facility Type: | WS3 |
| Inspection type: | Routine |
| Inspection date: | June 02, 2006 |
| Follow-up Required: | Yes |
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 |
| 311 | Critical Other (specify below) Observation: A review of turbidity records indicates instances of very high treated water turbidity (in some cases greater than 20 NTU). Corrective Action: In general, turbidity of treated water should not exceed 1 NTU (Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines). Most importantly, turbidity levels should remain low and constant over time. Sudden increases or spikes in treated water turbidity indicate a change in the system, due either to an increase in the amount of particulate matter in the source water (eg. during spring run-off or after heavy rains) or to a breakdown in the treatment process (eg. a ruptured filter). In addition, high turbidity can lead to an increase of disinfection by-products in the treated water, such as Trihalomethanes (THMs). THMs are carcinogenic chemical compounds that form when chlorine reacts with organics in water. Turbidity monitoring of treated water must be done routinely and spikes or dramatic changes in turbidity must be reported to the water operator immediately so that they may determine the cause of the increase and ensure that the treatment system is not being compromised. Correct immediately. For more information about turbidity please refer to the attached "Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Supporting Documentation- Turbidity". |
| 314 | Improper maintenance of distribution system Observation: Direct opening into the water reservoir exists around the inflow pipe. Corrective Action: Drinking water reservoirs must be secure and not have the potential for the entry of contaminants. Ensure opening into the reservoir is altered so that it is fly tight. Access to the water reservoir should be restricted to authorized personnel. |
| 318 | Inadequate Microbiological Analysis data Observation: Northern Health has no records that monthly bacteriological samples are being submitted to an approved laboratory. Corrective Action: Ensure that all water sample results are forwarded to Northern Health for our records. Sample results may be emailed to jeff.kresowaty@northernhealth.ca. Correct as soon as possible. |
| 320 | Other (specify below) Observation: Turbidity records are not complete. Corrective Action: Ensure that turbidity measurements are being taken as per Eskay Creek Mines procedure (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and that turbidity results are being logged. It is recommended that paper results are entered into a spreadsheet or database so that trends in results can be observed. Dramatic increases (or spikes) in turbidity can indicate operational problems such as a ruptured filter, which should be dealt with immediately. Correct as soon as possible. |
| 320 | Other (specify below) Observation: Turbidity levels are being monitored in an in-house laboratory (good). However, it is unclear if lab workers are following all of manufacturer's operational instructions (eg. periodically verifying accuracy of unit with gel standards, protocol for cleaning vials, etc.). Corrective Action: Ensure that staff performing turbidity measurements are trained on the procedures for testing and that appropriate quality control measures are being followed. Staff should also be trained so that they know when to report adverse or irregular turbidity measurements to the appropriate individual(s). |
| 320 | Other (specify below) Observation: It appears that the backwashing of the filters is set on an automatic timer (once weekly?). Could not verify as operator was not on-site. Corrective Action: Filter run times will vary depending upon the quality of the raw water supply. For example, during spring run-off the level of organics in the source water often increases and backwashing may need to be more frequent than other times of the year. If filter run times are too long (i.e. insufficient frequency of backwashing) the efficiency of the filter will be reduced and "channeling" may occur (organics can be pushed or channeled through the sand, which could potentially allow the breakthrough of contaminants such as giardia and cryptosporidum, if present in the source water). The frequency of backwashing should not be set but rather determined on the basis of (1) Head Loss (pressure changes) and (2) Turbidity levels of treated water (these levels will increase as filter efficiency decreases). In addition,if possible, it is recommended that the turbidity of the raw water be periodically tested to provide information about source water quality and the potential effects it may have on filter run times. Correct as soon as possible. |