Water Treatment
Norfolk County owns and operates five separate water treatment systems. Click on any of the following to read more about each treatment system.
The Simcoe Drinking Water System has three main operational facilities that treat and supply drinking water to the town of Simcoe.
To ensure the water is safe for consumption the treatment process requires the following process steps:
The Cedar Street System is located at 396 Cedar St. The raw water is pumped from four wells and an infiltration gallery. The groundwater enters the main treatment building where primary disinfection occurs using ultraviolet light (UV). Sodium silicate is added for sequestering iron and hydrofluosilicic acid is added. Prior to entering the distribution system sodium hypochlorite is added as a disinfectant. The Booster Station pumps the treated water to the distribution system and the water tower.
The Chapel Street Well system is located at 260 Chapel St. The water is sourced from one groundwater well where sodium hypochlorite is added for disinfection and hydrofluosilicic acid is added. The water then flows through the chlorine contact chamber and then enters the distribution system.
The Northwest Filter Plant is located on the 14th Concession, supplied by two groundwater wells. When the groundwater reaches the plant sodium hypochlorite, poly aluminum chloride and sodium permanganate are added. Water enters a reaction tank to bring the iron and manganese out of solution. The water then flows to the ceramic media filters where the particles are captured within the filter media.
Chemical addition post filtration includes hydrofluosilicic acid and sodium hypochlorite. The water then flows into the Northwest Reservoir where sodium hypochlorite is added as the water is pumped to the distribution system and the water tower.
The Waterford Drinking Water System is sourced from two groundwater wells located at 373 Thompson Road.
To ensure the water is safe for consumption the treatment process requires the following process steps:
Water is pumped from the two raw water wells into the water treatment plant where sodium permanganate, sodium hypochlorite and poly aluminum chloride are added. This water is then directed to a reaction chamber where iron and manganese are brought out of solution. The water then flows to the ceramic media filters where the particles are captured within the filter media. The filtered water enters a reservoir where sodium hypochlorite is added for disinfection.
The water is then pumped to the distribution system and the standpipe.
The Delhi Drinking Water System provides drinking water to the communities of Delhi and Courtland.
Delhi potable drinking water is sourced from groundwater. There are four wells located to the east of town on Windham West Quarter Line.
To ensure the water is safe for consumption the treatment process requires the following process steps:
The pumped raw water is initially disinfected using ultraviolet light (UV). Fluoride (hydrofluosilicic acid) is then added. Following fluoride addition sodium silicate is added to prevent colour releases related to iron, a natural occurring mineral often found in groundwater. The last step of the process is the addition of sodium hypochlorite.
The water is then pumped to the distribution system, the standpipe located in Delhi and the Courtland reservoir.
The Port Dover Drinking Water System sources its water from Lake Erie. The water works facilities is located at 603 Nelson St.
The Port Dover water treatment plant is currently under construction and the following description reviews the treatment process once complete.
To ensure the water is safe for consumption the treatment process requires the following process steps:
The lowlift building pumps raw water from Lake Erie. Pumped water is dosed with poly aluminum chloride to help bring the particles contained in the water together. Seasonally during warmer water temperatures, sodium hypochlorite is also added to support zebra/mussel control. The flow then enters the Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF) trains where saturated air is introduced to create microbubbles. The microbubbles will attach to the suspended solids floating them to the surface where they can be skimmed off and sent to waste. The remaining water then flows by gravity through media filters contained within the DAF units. These filters are designed to capture any remaining fine particles. The filtered water will then flow through ultraviolet light (UV) for primary disinfection prior to entering the clearwell. Before water is pumped into the distribution system and to your home, pumps administer sodium hypochlorite.
The water then pumped to the distribution system and the water tower.
The Port Rowan Drinking Water System is a surface water based supply that draws its water from Lake Erie and provides drinking water to the communities of Port Rowan, St Williams and one private drinking water system. The water treatment plant is located at 4 Archibald Drive Port Rowan.
To ensure the water is safe for consumption the treatment process requires the following process steps:
The raw water pumped from Lake Erie is injected with carbon dioxide, which lowers the pH to an optimal level for coagulation. After carbon dioxide is injected, poly aluminum chloride is added, to bind particles together so they can settle. The water is then filtered through sand and anthracite filters, which captures the settable particles within the filter media. The filtered water then travels through a secondary set of filters that contain granular activated carbon (GAC) to support with the removal of any taste and odour properties. From the clearwell and prior to distribution, the water is disinfected with ultra violet (UV) light and then sodium hypochlorite is added.
The water is then pumped to the distribution system, the water tower and the town of St Williams. There is a booster station located in St. William’s to increase the pressure in the distribution system.
