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About the project
Guelph is one of Canada’s largest communities to rely on groundwater to meet our community’s water needs, with 60 to 80 percent of our City’s water provided by Arkell Springs. This water is carried to our community by a large underground pipe, the Arkell aqueduct. That is why it is important to inspect and maintain this piece of infrastructure.
The purpose of the Arkell Aqueduct maintenance project is to:
- Understand the condition of the middle section (middle reach) of the Arkell Aqueduct
- Create an access route along the middle reach
- Ensure the protection of Guelph’s water quality and quantity
- Develop a maintenance plan for this section of the aqueduct for 2019 and the future
As part of this project, the City will:
- Complete a Stage 1 Environmental Impact Study (EIS) and Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan (TIPP) (Complete)
- Develop a repair contingency plan for this section of the aqueduct (Complete)
- Develop a contingency plan should something go wrong during this project including options to supply the City with safe quality water at the required quantity
- Develop and implement a construction work plan for aqueduct access including clearing the property located in the naturalized forest (Complete)
- Conduct an inspection of the middle reach section of the aqueduct
- Develop and implement a long-term maintenance plan
About the Arkell Aqueduct
The Arkell Aqueduct is approximately 6 km in length and consists of three sections:
- upper reach: located within the Arkell Spring Grounds
- middle reach: located between Watson Road and Stone Road
- lower reach: located between Stone Road and the FM Woods Pumping Station
The aqueduct moves water from the Arkell Spring Grounds to the F.M. Woods Pumping Station for treatment, storage and pumping into the City’s drinking water distribution system.
The Arkell Aqueduct was initially built in 1964. The upper and lower reaches were recently replaced. The middle reach is the last section to be inspected.
Project timeline
It is estimated that the project will be complete by the end of summer 2020.
For more information
Robin Puskas, Project Manager
Water Services
519-822-1260 extension 2195
[email protected]