Edgewood Water System

Size and number of connections

The system currently services 90 active connections. An estimated 300 residents are served by the Edgewood water system.

Location

The system is located in the community of Edgewood, within RDCK Electoral Area K. Edgewood is on the west side of Lower Arrow Lake.

Source 

The Edgewood water system derives source water from two wells located off Monashee Road. Both of these wells are approximately 30 metres deep.

System description

The system was constructed in 1966 as part of a compensation program associated with the construction of the Keenlyside Dam. An upgrade to some system components and controls was completed in 2001. This upgrade included installation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which allows for remote system operation and monitoring.

Treatment

Since the source for this system is an aquifer that is not directly influenced by surface water, disinfection is not required. Monitoring processes have also indicated that turbidity is consistently below 1.0 NTU, which is within recommended turbidity levels under the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.

Storage

The system includes an 82,000 litre insulated bolted steel storage tank.

Distribution system

The system includes 3,147 metres of PVC, steel, and asbestos-concrete mainlines, as well as 2,060 metres of copper service connection lines. A 2005 report estimated that Edgewood’s asbestos-cement pipe network will remain viable until at least 2048.

Fire-fighting

Due to the limited capacity of the system’s storage tank, no capacity for rural fire-fighting services is provided.

Significant issues

A 2009 assessment of the Edgewood water system recommended that a wellhead protection plan be developed in order to ensure the long-term safety of the water source. Although the long-term sustainable yield of the wells exceeds current water demands, growth of the Edgewood community is expected in the future. Due to the limited capacity of the system’s storage tank, a significant increase in water demands associated with community growth would necessitate installation of a bigger reservoir. Replacement of other system components could also be required under these circumstances.  

Plans for future upgrades

The Edgewood water system benefited from a number of upgrades prior to being converted to a RDCK service. No significant capital works are planned for the near future. 

Governance

In January 2011, ownership and operation of the Edgewood water system was transferred to the RDCK. This system was historically owned and operated by the Edgewood Water Corporation, a subsidiary company of BC Hydro.