Divisions
Operations
The Operations division is made up of nine operators who continuously monitor the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant to ensure all equipment is operating effectively, and to ensure the plant is meeting all of its regulatory requirements.
Operators are on duty at the plant 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. The Operations division plays a key communications-hub role within the plant, providing coordination of information between the divisions, in the day to day activities taking place at the plant.
The Operations team also communicates with the cities of Regina and Moose Jaw about ongoing operational work and processes. Operators maintain a high level of certification and renew their certification levels every two years.
Maintenance
Effective maintenance plays a key role in keeping the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant running efficiently, so that it can continually produce high quality water in quantities required by its customers.
The Maintenance division maintains, cleans, renews, and calibrates equipment periodically to ensure regulatory compliance and satisfactory plant operation. The plant has an annual preventative maintenance program to ensure optimal usage of plant resources. All maintenance activities are planned and scheduled using computerized maintenance management systems. The plant also has a predictive maintenance program which helps to minimize unexpected failures, reduce disruption of everyday operation, and minimize downtime.
Laboratory
A fully equipped and accredited laboratory is located in the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant. The laboratory performs a wide variety of testing for physical, chemical, trace organic and microbiological parameters. Monitoring of water quality extends from the source and its watershed, throughout the treatment plant, and to the ends of Regina and Moose Jaw distribution systems. Lab analyses are performed on a daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly schedule. Approximately 25,000 tests are performed annually. Tests that are required less frequently, or are specialized, are subcontracted to other accredited laboratories.
Major process control parameters such as turbidity, pH, chlorine residual, particle counts, ultraviolet transmittance, dissolved oxygen, and temperature are monitored by on-line instrumentation, which communicate in real time with the plant process computer system. Operators continuously monitor these water quality parameters to ensure the plant always provides clean and safe drinking water.
Results from some tests are compared to Saskatchewan’s Drinking Water Quality Standards and Objectives, as issued by the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, for compliance. In some cases, test results may also be compared Health Canada’s Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality for compliance if a particular parameter is not already regulated in Saskatchewan.