While the Wheatley Water Treatment Plant remains out of commission, the current temporary water system has been meeting the needs of local residents despite the warm summer weather.
As part of a verbal report delivered during a Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission meeting on Thursday, PUC General Manager Darren Galbraith said the temporary water treatment system, assisted by the treatment plant in south Chatham, has been able to maintain the water demands of Wheatley and Tilbury.
“The temporary water treatment trailers are rated for eight million litres per day. Over this past week, on average, the trailers have produced 5.28 million litres per day, which is 66 per cent of the rated capacity,” he said.
Should the need arise, Galbraith said additional water can be supplied through an interconnection with Leamington, which has been done in the past.
“We are paying close attention to the water demands as we approach the need for more water due to the needs of the local food processors in the coming months. The above-normal wet weather has also been a huge help to the system by reducing water demands as well,” he said. “I think Mother Nature has been very helpful to us this summer and spring.”
The Wheatley Water Treatment Plant has been shut down for repairs since September 2023 when a fire caused extensive damage to the facility.
During Thursday’s meeting, Galbraith also noted that the municipality’s insurance premium will see an increase of $351,242 per year for the next three years due to the fire. The additional insurance cost will be paid for through the PUC budget until 2028 when the rate is expected to revert to its previous method of calculation.
Galbraith said it is currently anticipated that the Wheatley Water Treatment Plant will be repaired and operational in August 2025.