July 3, 2001

MEMO TO: Mayor & Council

COPY TO: City Manager; General Manager of Engineering Services

MEMO FROM: Medical Health Officer

SUBJECT: GVWD Proposal to Expedite Filtration of Capilano Water Source

The General Manager of Engineering Services has suggested that a delay in deciding on filtration of the Capilano water supply might be in order. I strongly urge the Mayor and Council and the City's representatives to the GVRD Board to support the earliest possible filtration of the Capilano supply in the interests of health and safety and so advise the GVRD Board. Capilano is the major source of drinking water for Vancouver residents.

Given the events of recent months and years related to drinking water, I remind Council of delays already incurred on the Seymour filtration plant and of the fact that filtration is one of the most fundamental barriers to waterborne disease transmission. Although I can understand Mr. Rudberg's concerns about the process followed in arriving at the GVWD's proposal, I believe we should recognize that this is, as expressed by the GVRD's Mr Carline, a "defining moment" with respect to water quality in Vancouver. The coming together of a number of factors, including Walkerton & North Battleford, the strong public support for protecting our drinking water, enhanced drinking water regulations and the ability to avoid some sunk costs in a Capilano ozonation plant has provided us with an opportunity to move the drinking water quality agenda ahead by 10 years!

Why has the GVRD proposed an accelerated program for filtration at Capilano? What has changed since the Drinking Water Quality Improvement Plan was first adopted?

First, we have the experience from Walkerton, North Battleford and Charlottetown. Closer to home we continue to have waterborne disease outbreaks throughout British Columbia, including major centres like Victoria and Kelowna. Public confidence in the safety of our drinking water and the management of our drinking water supply and treatment systems is suffering.

Second, we have a Health Canada study that points to a statistical relationship between turbidity levels above 1 NTU and increases in reports of gastrointestinal illnesses.

Third, we have a revised Safe Drinking Water Regulation, which has essentially set the standard for turbidity at 1 NTU. While the GVRD has long argued that the standard was up to 5 NTU, the North American standards in the last few years for unfiltered water has been 1 NTU. The only way of achieving 1 NTU or less on an ongoing basis for Capilano and Seymour water is to implement filtration, now rather than later.

Fourth, it is widely accepted that the Capilano source, which normally provides the bulk of Vancouver water, does not achieve the necessary chlorine contact times to achieve the required reductions in Giardia and cryptosporidium. Thus filtration or the ozonation plant (at $80 million) are required, with most of the capital investment in an ozonation plant lost when it is decommissioned upon completion of the filtration plant.

I believe Council should consider economics in all decisions. However, now that we have shown that water over 1 NTU has a statistical relationship with illness, the economics of preventing illness with filtration, rather than treating illnesses after they occur, is far more compelling than waiting.

If we are to make a serious attempt at the 2010 Olympics, if we are to remain a world class, tourist destination, having safe, dependable drinking water is a must.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver