Halifax Regional Water Commission
Encyclopedia
The Halifax Regional Water Commission (HRWC) is the municipal water
, wastewater
and stormwater
utility serving the residents of the Halifax Regional Municipality
(HRM), pursuant to the Public Utilities Act. An autonomous, self-financed utility, Halifax Water is a fully metered water utility providing water, fire protection, wastewater and stormwater services as regulated by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board
.
had struggled to meet the ever-increasing demands of its residents for clean, safe drinking water. In 1861, after serious degradation, the water supply system was purchased by the City from a private company and operated in one form or another for 75 years, without ever resolving its maintenance and wastage problems.
Ravaged by two world wars and the Great Depression
, by 1943, Halifax's water supply had deteriorated to a critical condition. Responding to a government-commissioned report on the need for a complete overhaul of the system, the City, on January 1, 1945, formed the Public Service Commission (renamed the Halifax Water Commission in 1987) to operate and manage the water utility.
Eight years later, in 1952, the Water Commission purchased the assets of the water utility outright from the City to ensure that the utility operated in a business-like manner. This business-like approach has enabled the HRWC to continually improve and upgrade the water supply system by funding operational and capital expenditures directly from potable water and fire protection revenue, without any financial assistance from the municipal government.
Given a mandate to own and operate the City's water supply, the HRWC has transformed the water supply system into a modern, efficient and financially sound operation providing high quality water and service to its customers. In 1977, the Pockwock
water supply system was brought on line, on time and on budget. Through sound financial planning, the debt for the Pockwock system was retired in the year 2000.
On April 1, 1996, as a result of metro amalgamation, the Dartmouth
and Halifax County
water utilities were merged with the Halifax Water Commission, bringing with it, new challenges and opportunities. In response to a pressing need for high quality water in the Dartmouth area, the Commission constructed a new water treatment plant at Lake Major
and associated transmission system. The project was completed in December, 1998, on time and on budget with minimal disruption to HRWC's customers.
On August 1, 2007, the Commission expanded its mandate once again with the transfer of HRM's wastewater and stormwater assets to Halifax Water, and becoming the first regulated water and wastewater/stormwater utility in Canada.
in Dartmouth
.
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
, wastewater
Wastewater
Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence. It comprises liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry, and/or agriculture and can encompass a wide range of potential contaminants and concentrations...
and stormwater
Stormwater
Stormwater is water that originates during precipitation events. It may also be used to apply to water that originates with snowmelt that enters the stormwater system...
utility serving the residents of the Halifax Regional Municipality
Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Regional Municipality had a 2006 census population of 372,679, while the metropolitan area had a 2010 estimated population of 403,188, and the urban area of Halifax had a population of 282,924...
(HRM), pursuant to the Public Utilities Act. An autonomous, self-financed utility, Halifax Water is a fully metered water utility providing water, fire protection, wastewater and stormwater services as regulated by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board
Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board
The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board or NSUARB is the independent tribunal and regulating arm of the Government of Nova Scotia.NSUARB was established in 1992 following the amalgamation of the former Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities, the Nova Scotia Municipal Board, the Expropriations...
.
History
Although HRWC's present structure has existed since 1945, its creation was related to earlier events. As with any growing metropolis throughout the last century, the former City of HalifaxCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
had struggled to meet the ever-increasing demands of its residents for clean, safe drinking water. In 1861, after serious degradation, the water supply system was purchased by the City from a private company and operated in one form or another for 75 years, without ever resolving its maintenance and wastage problems.
Ravaged by two world wars and the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, by 1943, Halifax's water supply had deteriorated to a critical condition. Responding to a government-commissioned report on the need for a complete overhaul of the system, the City, on January 1, 1945, formed the Public Service Commission (renamed the Halifax Water Commission in 1987) to operate and manage the water utility.
Eight years later, in 1952, the Water Commission purchased the assets of the water utility outright from the City to ensure that the utility operated in a business-like manner. This business-like approach has enabled the HRWC to continually improve and upgrade the water supply system by funding operational and capital expenditures directly from potable water and fire protection revenue, without any financial assistance from the municipal government.
Given a mandate to own and operate the City's water supply, the HRWC has transformed the water supply system into a modern, efficient and financially sound operation providing high quality water and service to its customers. In 1977, the Pockwock
Pockwock, Nova Scotia
Pockwock is a community of the Halifax Regional Municipality in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The Halifax Regional Water Commission uses Pockwock Lake as a source for water for the communities of Halifax, Bedford and Lower Sackville.-Climate:...
water supply system was brought on line, on time and on budget. Through sound financial planning, the debt for the Pockwock system was retired in the year 2000.
On April 1, 1996, as a result of metro amalgamation, the Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
and Halifax County
Halifax County, Nova Scotia
Halifax County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.The Municipality of the County of Halifax was the municipal government of Halifax County, apart from the separately incorporated towns and cities therein...
water utilities were merged with the Halifax Water Commission, bringing with it, new challenges and opportunities. In response to a pressing need for high quality water in the Dartmouth area, the Commission constructed a new water treatment plant at Lake Major
Lake Major, Nova Scotia
Lake Major is a community of the Halifax Regional Municipality in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia....
and associated transmission system. The project was completed in December, 1998, on time and on budget with minimal disruption to HRWC's customers.
On August 1, 2007, the Commission expanded its mandate once again with the transfer of HRM's wastewater and stormwater assets to Halifax Water, and becoming the first regulated water and wastewater/stormwater utility in Canada.
Water System
- 3 water treatment plants
- J. Douglas Kline Water Supply Plant (Pockwock) was commissioned in 1977 and uses a direct dual media filtration process. Plant capacity is 227,000,000 litres/day (50 Million igpd) and serves the communities of HalifaxCity of HalifaxHalifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, BedfordBedford, Nova ScotiaBedford is a community in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was an independent town from 1980-1996. Bedford lies on the northwestern end of Bedford Basin, an extension of the Halifax Harbour...
, Lower SackvilleLower Sackville, Nova ScotiaLower Sackville is a suburban community located in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is part of the urban area of Halifax ....
, Fall RiverFall River, Nova ScotiaFall River is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.It is located north of the Bedford Basin, northwest of Bedford, east of Lower Sackville and north and west of Waverley....
, WaverleyWaverley, Nova ScotiaWaverley is a community of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located about 20 minutes from Downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia. It has a rich history in gold mining.-History:...
and TimberleaTimberlea, Nova ScotiaTimberlea is a community located on the rural/suburban fringe of the Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada, along the St. Margaret's Bay Rd , which extends from the Armdale Rotary to the Head of St. Margaret's Bay. It begins about 8 miles/13 km from downtown Halifax...
. - Lake Major Water Supply Plant was commissioned in 1999 and uses a sedimentation with multi-media filtration process. Plant capacity is 94,000,000 litres/day (20 Million igpd) and serves the communities of DartmouthDartmouth, Nova ScotiaDartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
, Eastern PassageEastern Passage, Nova ScotiaEastern Passage is a Canadian urban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.Located at the southeastern edge of Halifax Harbour, fronting the Atlantic Ocean, Eastern Passage derives its name from the narrow strait separating the mainland from McNabs Island and Lawlor Island, both...
, Cole HarbourCole Harbour, Nova ScotiaCole Harbour is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality. It is the hometown of Sidney Crosby.-Geography:...
and WestphalWestphal, Nova ScotiaWestphal, is a mainly residential area in Dartmouth Nova Scotia. The area is bound by Port Wallis in the north, Waverley Road in the west, Lake Major Road in the east and Main Street in the south...
. - Bennery Lake Water Supply Plant was commissioned in 1987 and uses a direct filtration process. Plant capacity is 7,950,000 litres/day (1.75 Million igpd) and serves the Halifax Stanfield International Airport and Aerotech Business Park.
- J. Douglas Kline Water Supply Plant (Pockwock) was commissioned in 1977 and uses a direct dual media filtration process. Plant capacity is 227,000,000 litres/day (50 Million igpd) and serves the communities of Halifax
- 5 isolated systems
- Five Island Lake was commissioned in 1994 and serves Five Island LakeFive Island Lake, Nova ScotiaFive Island Lake is a community of the Halifax Regional Municipality in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-References:**...
- Collins Park was commissioned in 2010 and serves WellingtonWellington, Nova ScotiaWellington located at 44°51'54"N, 63°36'59"W is a community of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia on Fletcher's Lake on Trunk 2 approximately from Halifax.-History:Originally Wellington was an area where cottages were located...
- Middle Musquodoboit was commissioned in 2010 and serves Middle MusquodoboitMiddle Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia-External links:*...
. - Silver Sands was acquired in 1999 and serves Cow BayCow Bay, Nova ScotiaCow Bay is a community within Halifax Regional Municipality Nova Scotia on the Eastern Shore on Route 322 along the scenic Marine Drive.-History:...
. - Miller Lake was acquired in 2002 and serves Fall RiverFall River, Nova ScotiaFall River is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.It is located north of the Bedford Basin, northwest of Bedford, east of Lower Sackville and north and west of Waverley....
.
- Five Island Lake was commissioned in 1994 and serves Five Island Lake
- 18 storage reservoirs
- over 1,300 km of distribution mains
- 7,700 fire hydrantsFire hydrantA fire hydrant , is an active fire protection measure, and a source of water provided in most urban, suburban and rural areas with municipal water service to enable firefighters to tap into the municipal water...
- 79,000 customers
Wastewater & Stormwater System
- 13 wastewater treatmentSewage treatmentSewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
facilities - 160 pumping stationsPumping stationPumping stations are facilities including pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are used for a variety of infrastructure systems, such as the supply of water to canals, the drainage of low-lying land, and the removal of sewage to processing sites.A pumping station...
- over 2,000 km of collection mains
- 37,000 manholesManholeA manhole is an opening used to gain access to sewers or other underground structures, usually for maintenance.Manhole may also refer to:* Manhole , a metal band from Los Angeles* The Manhole, a computer game...
- 17,000 catchbasinsStorm drainA storm drain, storm sewer , stormwater drain or drainage well system or simply a drain or drain system is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems...
- 10 retention facilities/holding tanksHolding tankA holding tank, also called a waste water holding tank or black tank, is a container for storing sewage in vehicles equipped with toilets. Vehicles that employ holding tanks include recreational vehicles , trucks or lorries , railroad trains, boats, aircraft, and even spacecraft...
- 600 km of ditchesDitchA ditch is usually defined as a small to moderate depression created to channel water.In Anglo-Saxon, the word dïc already existed and was pronounced 'deek' in northern England and 'deetch' in the south. The origins of the word lie in digging a trench and forming the upcast soil into a bank...
Sponsorship
Halifax Water is a sponsor of the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
The 2009 International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Championships were held 12–16 August 2009 in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, on Lake Banook. The Canadian city was selected to host the championships in October 2003 after having done so previously in 1997...
in Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
.