Progress on Water Quality even if Challenges Remain
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Technology
The bulk of Ilwaco’s current reservoir and water treatment system was engineered and built in the 1970s, then changes were made to individual components of the plant over time but it requires more maintenance and repair as it ages.
Caring for an aging system
Ilwaco’s Water Supervisor Rick Gray spends much of his time making sure the “heart” keeps beating. The biggest current source of concern is an accumulation of sediment and organic material in the stout-looking ‘flush line’ that draws fresh water from the Indian Creek Reservoir.
Cleaning the line requires some re-engineering, but is worth the time and trouble, Gray said, because starting with cleaner water cuts down on processing times, and reduces the plant’s use of chemicals.
At present, Gray and other city officials are more concerned with quality and consistency than quantity.
Getting water where you want it
As part of the compliance process, the city added additional reservoir tanks, found leaks and other problems, and made repairs to aging and leaking pipes, Jensen said. Additionally, the treatment system had just one filter, which caused problems when workers removed it for cleaning and maintenance. Seven or eight years ago, the city upgraded to a two-filter system, and added an ‘up-flow clarifier.’ The new system is fully automated and can be monitored remotely. A data set shows what the whole plant is doing. The city also installed a more efficient three-phase power set-up.
Improvements add up
Jensen said that rather than waiting for problems that develop, city leaders are trying to anticipate likely repairs to the water and sewer systems, apply for grants and low-interest loans, and set aside money in a reserve account. Workers are tackling projects on the city’s list of priorities. For example, last year, the city completed installation of radio-read meters.
According to Jensen, one major advantage of the new meters is that they can quickly identify leaks or other types of water-loss, a common problem with old systems. “We can see a break immediately,” Jensen said.
Challenges remain
Jensen warned that because the city’s reservoirs are not currently equipped with back-flow prevention devices, in the event of a major earthquake, the system would likely just drain itself out. If that happened, there wouldn’t be any water, for anyone.
Other challenges include preserving the integrity of the watershed above Indian Creek — Weyerhaeuser owns timber rights on the land and has expressed interest in logging there. Jensen said the city would like to buy that timberland, and leave it largely as is to protect against erosion and destabilization of surrounding slopes.
City leaders hope these improvements are making the system more efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective, but the costs do add up.
Source: Chinook Observer
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