Water Society's AGM - Sept 26th, 2010

The 10th Annual General Meeting of the Water Society will be held on Sunday, September 26th, 2010 at 3:00 pm at the Kaslo Senior's Hall, 304 - 4th St.

The agenda and minutes of the 2009 AGM have been mailed to all Society members.

The meeting will be followed by a Society-hosted potluck meal. Please bring a salad or dessert.

Please RSVP by Sept 23rd so meeting organizers will be able to plan quantities.

If there are other items for the agenda, please call or e-mail with suggestions.

Comparative Water Rates

There was a notice in the August 17th, 2010 Pennywise from BC Hydro. The backstory to this notice is that BC Hydro has owned and operated the water system at West Robson (near Castlegar) for many years now, basically since the Keenlyside dam was built back in the 1960s. The operator (BC Hydro) is applying for approval for a water rates structure effective January 1st, 2010.

What's interesting at first glance is the rate structure they are asking for. The Residential Single Family annual rate will be $915/year. Reading some of the background information, I learned that $200 of that annual rate will be placed in a reserve fund for future repairs and replacements to the water system. Their system supplies somewhere in the neighbourhood of 50 residences with the potential to supply more. They put a replacement value on their system of about $4.5 million.

The Society just received a letter from the Water Comptroller in Victoria reminding all water system operators that they need to be charging rates that will allow them to accumulate sufficient funds to handle future replacement costs. Looks like free water has disappeared in one more place. Certainly a sign of things to come.

Under Cover

After an all-day session of work on Monday, the water line box up the cliff from the lake has been insulated and covered with new plywood. Some repairs remain to be completed, but at least now the cover is completed and the new insulation has been protected (we hope) from rodents by wire mesh installed inside the box.

Since repairs were started 2 months ago, a total of 53.5 volunteer person-hours have been put into this project, not counting some time spent in obtaining materials, cutting up plywood and generally preparing for the work.

During the project, it was discovered that almost all of the main water line was not insulated at all because of the dedicated work of mice and pack-rats and their urge to move the materials in the box around. It was very lucky that the main water line didn't freeze during some of our cold spells during the past couple of winters. In addition, the old plywood and supporting structures were found to be in pretty desperate shape. We have at least started to replace and repair that structure.

Thanks to to several member volunteers from the community for the hours of work spent fixing this structure: Bill J, Dave, Bob C, Gerda, Doug and Hugh, some of whom put in many hours over the past 2 months and especially to the group for spending all of Monday in +30C heat to complete the remaining part of the project in one day. A few hours of work remain to cover some of the last defects in the old box with new treated plywood, but at least now the majority of the repairs are done. Thanks again to the members who helped out on this important project.

Tackling the Cliff

Over the past couple of weeks, 3 of us have spent a few hours working on repairs to the insulated box that protects the 4-inch water line as it rises about 40 feet up a cliff from the lake pumphouse to where it is able to go underground.

The work hasn't been particularly fast: it involves removing the plywood cover, removing what insulation remains, re-packing the box with both old and new insulation, installing wire to prevent rodent damage to the insulation, reinforcing the box, replacing rotten pieces and finally installing a new treated plywood cover. So far, it's taken us about 2 hours for every 8 ft section. As of Monday, we've done about 32 feet and have about 24 feet left to go to the top of the cliff. After that, another 16 ft at the top of the cliff and the pipe disappears into the ground.

So far, we've been able to work from the ground or from ladders. As we move up the cliff, we will have to bring in climbing harnesses and ropes to provide safety.

The weather over the next few days looks uncertain so this project may go on hold until more summer-like weather returns.

The Next Project

Today, Bob C, Bill J and I spent a short time examining the insulated box that encloses the water line between the lake and the top of the cliff. It was identified as one project that needed urgent attention this season.

The pictures tell the story. The plywood covering the box is in a sad condition and badly needs replacing. So too are many of the supporting timbers and posts around the box. The 30-year-old structure is certainly showing its age.

The inside of the box was even worse than we had expected. You can see the exposed pipe. This is how it appeared as we opened the box up. Rodents have moved so much material that much of the pipe, in this location, at least, is exposed and not insulated. The only thing that keeps it from freezing in the winter is the "heat tape" that circles the pipe along its length.

The plan here is to start at the bottom and slowly work our way up the cliff, reinforcing and replacing where needed and, hopefully, encasing the pipe and insulation with a material that the rodents can't get through.

The nice thing about this project is that it doesn't all have to be done at once. We're planning a few days of a couple of hours each, working away in the sun, until it's finished. Anyone who can donate some time to help should contact us and be part of the fun.

We need to paint/stain/preserve the wood on the box and the stairs, replace insulation, install rodent-proof wire, reinforce/replace the wood members and plywood covers, and construct a concrete anchor to facilitate removal of pumps when necessary. We have until fall to get this finished.

Forecasts of a Dry Summer

The CBC Radio noon show (CBC Almanac) had a story on Monday about fears of a summer drought in many parts of BC.

Lower than average snow pack and little real rain so far this spring has the province and many municipalities and regional districts scrambling to bring in measures to conserve water. Some areas have already enacted water rationing.

There were also some brief comments about the cost of water and how to encourage water users to conserve, given that BC has the highest water use in the country. Mention was made of water meters, a practice that many local governments are starting to install. This will be an interesting story to follow this season.

Intake Extension - Part 5 & 6

After having to cancel one attempt to attach the new intakes on Saturday because of high winds, we were hoping to complete the job on Monday.

A large group of neighbours answered the call and gathered in the early morning on the beach to launch the assembled pieces. The water was a bit cold, but within a few minutes, the new pipe support and the assembled pipes were afloat and began their short trip over to the intake location.

Unfortunately, as we came out of the bay, we met the wind, coming straight down the Lake from the north. We managed to get the pipes delivered to their new location, but attaching them was quite impossible with the boat being tossed around by the waves.

After a couple of attempts, we tied everything off to the shore and went home for the day.

At 4:45 pm, we got the call from the diver. The Lake is almost mirror calm and we collect our tools, call a few neighbours and meet at the Lake for 6 pm. Within 2 hours, all the connections are made and the cage is lowered to it's spot on the bottom. It was quite a contrast to our experience earlier in the day.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support this project, help launch the pipe assembly, drive the boat, go for parts, wade in the water, provide moral support, get up early in the morning and, later in the day, give up their evening to finish the job. It's the kind of help that makes a community-owned water system possible and it is all greatly appreciated.