ELORA – Centre Wellington Public Works Director Ken Elder was pleased to tell the committee of the whole here on Aug. 8 the township now has a fully accredited and licenced water system.
Elder provided councillors with several letters of congratulations for receiving a municipal drinking water licence and accreditation of its operating authority.
The team leader of the Canadian General Standards Board wrote the board “applauds Centre Wellington’s efforts to implement a quality management system, and we look forward to working with you through the next stages in the accreditation process.”
Ann Darby, from the Ministry of Environment, stated, “Your efforts to implement a quality management system are an important element in the multi-barrier approach to safeguarding drinking water in Ontario.”
Karen McMillan, Centre Wellington’s environmental support coordinator, said the first meetings to earn the accreditation were held in February 2007 and it took over two years and many hours of work to get everything submitted to the MOE.
It had to deal with a huge number of submissions and that is why the process took so long.
She noted that all municipalities that have water systems must complete the work, but many are being permitted to do it in stages. She added that Centre Wellington opted to do the entire process all at once.
McMillan said the process had 21 separate stages for completion, and doing that means the township now has a system of standards in place for its water, similar to factories with ISO standards.
Elder told councillors he was particularly proud that the entire project was done in house.
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said, “We have met all the criteria set out by the province.”
Elder explained that the new standards were put in place as a result of the Walkerton water crisis of 2000, where seven people died and hundreds became sick by tainted water.
Ross-Zuj said it is “wonderful we’re in there,” and noted that when she looks back at all the steps needing to be done at the start, it is a terrific accomplishment.
Elder said it helped that his staff had “the full confidence of council,” and he noted Centre Wellington is the only municipality of its size to complete the work on its own.
