Greensville Drinking Water System

How is it decided which community area needs a well? Why are the 36 homes in this area provided with a community well supplied by the City?
The Mid-Spencer Creek/Greensville Rural Settlement Area Subwatershed Study (2016) identified the need for a backup well supply or redundancy for the Harvest Road Water Supply System as part of a water supply review.

The reason for a City supplied community well to the 36 homes of the Greensville RSA is a result of the historical nature of the land development. When the Village Green subdivision was approved it required a publicly owned water distribution system. Therefore, it will continue to operate as such. As an existing City owned system, the City of Hamilton has the obligation to ensure that the quality and service of water is maintained to these homes.

How is this project going to be paid for? How was the cost reported in the Hamilton Spectator article determined?
This project falls under a capital water project which is supported by water and wastewater rate budgets. These budgets are predetermined each year based on water and wastewater rates, and are shared across all properties that receive City of Hamilton drinking water. The payment of this project is not financed through property taxes, and property owners in Greensville will not have additional charges in their water bill as a result of the improvements.

The cost reported in the Hamilton Spectator was determined as a result of a Class D level opinion of cost (-30% on the low side, up to 50% on the high cost). This estimate includes structural and architectural features, buried reservoir, process equipment, mechanical equipment, monitoring equipment, site work for developing, demolition of FDG01, and contingency costs. These values will be refined during detailed design and adjusted for site specifics and current market values.

Has the option of putting an individual well at each home been considered?
This option has not been considered since Hamilton Water has the obligation of maintaining the existing City owned drinking water system.

What were the sodium and nitrate levels experienced in FDG01?
Raw water nitrate as nitrogen concentrations have ranged from 5.23 – 7.08 mg/L, with an average of 5.87 mg/L. Sodium concentrations ranged from 101-151 mg/L, with an average of 131 mg/L. These concentrations are below the Ontario Maximum Acceptable Concentrations (MAC) however the nitrate concentrations have been rising over time. The proposed FDG02 well does not have elevated sodium or nitrates and those concentrations are not expected to rise over time based on pump testing and no nutrient sources identified in the area. Nitrate is complex to treat; it requires space and energy for additional treatment processes as well as waste management. This information was also reviewed in PIC#1.

Who do we contact about expansion of this project? Many private homes in the nearby area have wells that are failing, especially since the dam was removed from Crooks Hollow and the quarry expanded.
There are no plans to expand the existing Harvest Road Water Supply System at this time as stipulated in PIC#1, the servicing strategy recommended by the Mid-Spencer Creek/Greensville Subwatershed Study (2016) and the servicing policies stated in the Rural Hamilton Official Plan.

Should you have concerns regarding your private water supply well, please contact the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) – Water Well Help Desk. MECP will assist in  determining if there is interference with other water takings and answers questions on wells. It is recommended to follow up with the project team for further details on how to best address these individual concerns.

I am on Harvest Road, and my well seems to have lost a lot of water and has been extremely slow to recover in the last 2 years. I have had to truck in water several times because I can't get enough from my well. Does this have anything to do with the school (who also drilled a new well 2 weeks ago)? Other than getting a cistern installed, will this new well system help?
This is a situation separate from the Greensville Drinking Water System. There are many factors that affect reliability of a well’s production over time. Please consider calling the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) – Water Well Help Desk. The City also provides further resources online meant to support rural residents that rely on private wells.

What type of Chlorine is used? How is it delivered?
The type of chlorine selected is liquid sodium hypochlorite, which is used at the existing FDG01 site and outlined in The City of Hamilton’s Water Outstation Design Manual. A small chemical delivery truck will deliver the chlorine directly to the building routinely which is equipped with a containment tank which has a chemical containment barrier in the chemical room of the proposed treatment station.

When lands just east of Johnson Tew Park were being developed it was part of the developer’s requirements to monitor existing wells to ensure that the addition of homes within the survey does not affect current water supply. Now there are approximately 40 additional homes within this survey. What is the project team doing to mitigate issues for these new homes as a result of drilling new water supply?
To understand the long-term water taking permitted by the new well, a 72-hour pump test and monitoring was conducted during the preliminary phases of the study. The rated capacity of the proposed well of 90 L/min is not expected to impact water quality and quantity. It should be noted that the proposed facility will have a lower rated capacity than the existing FDG01 system as shown in the presentation. In addition, the City has a network of monitoring wells that are continuously monitored to understand the well water levels and quality in the area. A monitoring program will be ongoing and also be a component of the Permit to Take Water to assess potential long-term impacts.

How will this system accommodate peak water demands?
The system pump will be sized to meet anticipated peak demands and the reservoir has been sized to provide 1-day storage based on historical maximum day demands.

How was this recommendation and location determined?
Prior to this study, a broader list of alternatives were developed and reviewed through a feasibility study. Several alternatives were evaluated for their impacts to the natural, socio-economic, and technical environments. This feasibility study identified Johnson Tew Park as the most suitable location for this project. Through the selection of the preferred location, impacts to the natural, socio-economic, and technical environments have been mitigated. More information related to the list of alternatives was provided in PIC #1, which can be found on the City’s Engage Hamilton website.

We use this park everyday, and don’t want to lose the space to intensifying efforts.
The City recognizes that Johnson Tew Park is an important part of the Greensville community. As a result, we have minimized the footprint of the site to reduce the impacts to the park space. The original design concept footprint for the facility was 1,400 square metres, which has now been reduced to approximately 500 square metres.

Will the pump house have a septic tank or septic bed? How big will it be?
The site will not have a septic tank or septic bed. There are no washroom facilities in the building. The site will have a sink that is typically used for hand washing by operators, and that sink will drain into a ‘soakaway’, which is proposed to be constructed as a low-impact-development (LID) strategy adjacent to the building.

Will there be compensation for the lost park space? What might this compensation look like?
The project team has engaged the City of Hamilton Parks and Forestry department to discuss compensation for the lost park space.

There are endangered bird species located within the park. Local community members are interested in erecting a structure to provide habitat for these bird species. Is this something the City can consider?
The project team will share this comment with the City of Hamilton Parks and Forestry department. As part of the compensation efforts, the City needs to consider long-term maintenance, and who will be responsible for it.

How is the reservoir being filled? Is it water from the well during non-peak times?
The reservoir is being filled by a submersible well pump via a buried watermain that travels from the wellhead into the treatment station. The reservoir has two cells that feed into a wet well at the end of the contact chamber. A pump skid will be located above the reservoir, which will pull from that wet well, and pump water into the distribution system. In addition, the proposed design includes hydrodynamic tanks (i.e., pressure tanks) to maintain pressure in the distribution system during peak demands. The well pump will come on when the low level for the reservoir is reached. There will be fluctuating levels that are permitted within the reservoir, but will still provide the one day of backup water supply.

Will there be a trucked water connection as mentioned in the meeting in the fall?
Yes a trucked water connection as an additional redundancy plan for the site is proposed. Trucked water can be used during times of well maintenance when the well may be down for maintenance in the future.

What is the pumping rate?
For the submersible pump, it will be sized for the rated capacity of the system, which we expect to be around 130m³ per day. This will be further assessed during detailed design.

Will we be using UV (ultraviolet) and sodium hypochlorite for water treatment?
A groundwater well under the direct influence of surface water (GUDI) typically requires additional treatment including UV disinfection and sodium hypochlorite. This well is not considered GUDI, so it does not require UV disinfection. We are expecting the system to be designed for the required 4-log virus inactivation per ministry disinfection requirements.

Is there a backup generator?
There will be a backup generator supply situated behind the building. It is possible that we may repurpose the existing generator from FDG01 for this site, which will be determined during detailed design. The generator will be contained within a sound barrier, and tree planting around the site will provide additional noise screening. If the FDG01 generator cannot be repurposed, detailed design will consider a natural gas or electric generator.

What size is the new reservoir?
The proposed reservoir has a minimum capacity 93m³.

Will the old well be abandoned?
The conceptual plan is to decommission the existing treatment facility. This may include removing the existing building. It is possible for the existing well to be maintained as a monitoring well. It would monitor water quality levels and static water levels.

How is electricity being supplied to the new treatment facility?
It is proposed to connect to the electrical supply at the end of Cedar Ave. This will be further assessed during detailed design, once the electrical demands of the facility are determined.

Is there another public information centre after this?
This is the second and final Public Information Centre (PIC) as part of the Environmental Assessment process. The next step will be to prepare the Environmental Study Report (ESR), which will document the entire study process, our recommendations, and impacts and mitigation measures. The ESR will be made available for a 30-day public review and comment period.

Does the site need the parking facilities?
The parking space at the facility has been reduced to allow for two vehicles. The facility is visited essentially on a daily basis for compliance testing and to ensure it’s providing safe, potable water. Looking into the long-term, larger equipment deliveries may be required, and routine chemical deliveries will be completed. Vehicular access to the site will be necessary.

In the presentation it was mentioned that the other wells in the Park were not viable, what were the water quality issues at wells TW1-12 and TW3-13?
For test wells one and three, the main water quality issues were related to iron and nitrates.

Will a turn around for garbage truck and snowplow be constructed at the end of Cedar Ave.?
There are additional design details to be worked out through the next stages of this project. The future pump station site would require parking and access for vehicles, and therefore the end of Cedar Ave would require access for snowplows.

Will access to the park via the Cedar Ave. entrance be impacted during construction? Will residents still have access to the park?
The Cedar Ave. entrance will be considered for the main access point for construction. Access to the park via Cedar Ave. is expected to be maintained following construction.

Please clarify whether the preferred site is north or south of the Cedar Ave. entrance? At the time of this evaluation, the preferred site location was on the north side of Cedar Ave. due to the existing tree-line on the North side providing some concealment of the building. However, the results of the evaluation are subject to change as we continue consultation with Parks and the Public.

Would the new station have capacity to service additional properties (those not currently on City water)? Is a splash pad relevant given the new water system that will be put into the park?
The scope of this project derives from the recommendations of the Mid-Spencer Creek/Greensville Rural Settlement Area Subwatershed Study, that study recommended the addition of a backup well to the existing drinking water system, not expansion of the Greensville drinking water system. The existing connections will be maintained, the system is not expected to be expanded to include other connections. The Rural Hamilton Official Plan restricts the expansion of communal water system and the Greensville drinking water system is not to be expanded with new users; the objective of this Study is to improve the resiliency of the Greensville drinking water system. Additional supplies, such as for a splash pad, are not considered part of the scope of this project. The request would require an additional watermain which would segregate the park, as well as complex construction and design considerations with respect to wastewater management in a remote system such as Greensville.

Have you considered building a road from Cedar Ave. to Medwin Ave.?
No, the access from Cedar Ave. to Medwin Ave. is through the Park; the Park Master Plan considered the roads in the Park for service vehicles.

Would the station and parking area be open or fenced?
Design details will be provided in further iterations of the project, however, the conceptual design that exists for the new facility does from the previous Feasibility Study include fencing around the building and a couple of parking spaces.

What is the rough timeframe to start of construction for the new well house? What is the timeframe for construction of the new well house?
Depending on comments received and feedback from the community in PIC#2 (winter 2024), it is expected that the Environmental Assessment (EA) study can be completed in the second half of 2024. If the recommended solution from the study is to be implemented, design and construction would likely occur in 2025 – 2026 based on information currently available. At this time, the duration of construction is estimated to be approximately 10 months. This is subject to change based on a range of factors.

How much data is there over varying water quality conditions? Could iron and nitrates become a problem at the preferred well site?
There have been two pump tests completed on Well TW2-13 which have provided substantial and comprehensive datasets on water quality. The overall groundwater monitoring program for wells in this vicinity has been reviewed and it is not expected that there are long-term sources of nitrates or iron in the proximity of the well. It is not expected that the nitrate and iron concentrations will become an issue with respect to water quality or compliance with the Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards (ODWQS) over time.

Will the new pump station and project in general have any potential negative impact on property values along Cedar Ave? We live on Cedar Ave. and are concerned about traffic, aesthetics, and property value. What remediation has been considered?
Potential impacts of the preferred location were reviewed during the evaluation of alternative servicing solutions. Furthermore, the previous Feasibility Study looked at alternative designs for the pump station that would minimize any potential impacts. For example, the sight lines from the neighbouring property to the new pump station could be mitigated with trees. Landscaping and naturalized opportunities will be reviewed during the design phase, as well as any opportunities to improve the aesthetics of the building. The design will be developed to minimize any potential impacts on property values along Cedar Ave.

Given that there is an existing parking lot near the play structure on the North side of the Park, was a well house site considered in this location with a connection to the well head near Cedar Ave?
Alternative locations were reviewed under the previous Feasibility Study in terms of alternative preferred locations for the site. The area near the play structure would result in a lengthy watermain that would need to be construction through some of the naturalized area of the park. This would also result in a longer watermain further from the Forest Ave distribution system.

Will the station produce hard or soft water?
The water quality characteristics were examined, particularly with respect to how they would impact the distribution system water quality. No significant change to the water quality with respect to hardness or softness are expected with switching from the current well to the new well.

Are there any plans to link the Greensville water system to City water (Lake supply)? Are there any plans to connect Greensville to municipal sewage?
An alternative that was considered included connecting Greensville to the lake-based system which is the main supply system for the greater City of Hamilton. This alternative was reviewed; concerns were identified around the distance with which a watermain would be required from the existing end of the distribution system at the Woodley Lane reservoir to the Greensville drinking water system, and that the watermain would need to pass through the protected Niagara Escarpment area. The system would likely also require its own dedicated pumping station or system in order to overcome the great difference in elevation between Greensville and the water distribution system. The development strategy for Greensville is based on private well and septic system and there are no plans to bring municipal sewer services to Greensville at this time.

What are the parking needs for the site? How often would maintenance vehicles be there, could they park in the existing parking area?
Parking requirements will be reviewed and confirmed during the design phase of the project. Typically, operations staff needs to visit the facility on a regular basis in order to collect their regulatory and compliance samples, maintain the system, perform preventative maintenance, perform any repairs that might be required, and maintain the grounds around the facility. From an operational perspective, accessibility to the station is mandatory. Operators will be carrying instrumentation and equipment, and contractors and maintenance vehicles will need access to the building when service or repairs are required. At times, heavy duty vehicles that use more than one traditional parking space may be present on site. Typically, parking is restricted access behind a locked gate for City vehicles and contractors only. Members of the public would not be able to freely park at the well house. Typically, at smaller well house sites in Ontario, two or three parking spaces are provided.

How will Low Impact Development (LID) standards be considered in the design stage?
Implementation of Low Impact Development (LID) solutions will be considered during the design. LID will be evaluated and was already included in the Feasibility Study, LID is also a recommendation in the Mid-Spencer Subwatershed Study. A design concept for the new building will be presented at PIC#2 which will provide the building aesthetic, footprint, and layout of components.

Given the existing parking lot and larger cul-de-sac at the end of Tews Lane, could this site be reconsidered despite the length of connection conduit? While the construction of a lengthier conduit may temporarily fragment the natural environment, the previously natural environment was affected by the construction of the current arboretum, and construction of an additional parking lot would affect the current natural environment near Cedar Ave.
At this stage of an EA project, it is common to revisit the alternatives scoring and selection based on comments received during the PIC. We can revisit the alternative locations and ensure that the evaluation was fair given these considerations. The main consideration at the Tews Lane location was the length of watermain and potential fragmentation of the naturalized area of the park. Furthermore, Hamilton Water would need to maintain the access, whereas the Cedar Ave. access is maintained by the City’s Transportation Division. The cost would also be higher in this location. When we evaluate these alternatives, we are considering the degree of impact and disruption. For this particular location, the main consideration was cost. Either way, the facility needs access and parking right at the building; the existing parking at the end of Tews Lane could not be used for the operations and maintenance vehicles that would park within the fenced boundary of the facility. We will consult with Parks on the preferred location in detail as we get into the design phase.

Are there any plans to provide public buses to Greensville? There are so many tourists for Dundas Peaks and Tews Falls – public buses would be very helpful.
Questions of this nature can be forwarded to the City Counsellor for Ward 13 as they are outside the scope of this project.

Can the complete path in the park be paved? Right now, only the section next to the playground is paved – the section from Cedar Ave. and Medwin Ave. is not paved which makes stroller access on gravel difficult.
Questions of this nature can be forwarded to Parks as they are outside the scope of this project. The Master Plan for the park was developed for gravel pathways.