Revelstoke has the first municipally-owned/operated
microfiltration plant in BC

Since 1930, the city of Revelstoke, BC, has used the untreated Greeley Creek as its primary source for drinking water. In the summer of 1995, the Ministry of Health confirmed several cases of giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis. Detailed sampling and investigation revealed the diseases were waterborne, originating with animals in the Greeley Creek Watershed.

As an interim measure, the source water was chlorinated, but the community did not support long-term use of chlorine as a primary disinfectant.

Aerial view of the Greeley Water Treatment Plant.	USFilter's Memcor continuous microfiltration system.

A Community Water Advisory Committee was appointed to identify options and to conduct an open process, encouraging two-way communication that informed and listened to residents. By February 1998, the city council unanimously accepted the Committee's recommendation to build the 4.5 million gallons per day (MGD) membrane treatment plant and implement a water reuse efficiency program as part of the operation and distribution systems.

USFilter's Memcor CMF Microfiltration plant was selected based upon a competitive evaluation of capital cost, operating cost, including membrane replacement, life cycle and technical ability. By April 2000, USFilter had installed a system, consisting of five membrane skids containing a total of 450 membrane modules, which is capable of producing 4.5 million gallons per day.

It is the first municipally owned and operated membrane filtration water treatment plant in British Columbia. A completely automated system, the CMF system is monitored and operated from the city's downtown offices, reducing operating costs. The system also allows comprehensive analysis of turbidity levels and system integrity. In situtests provide both filtrate water quality assurance and operational diagnostics for the maintenance of the system.

With the membrane plant, Revelstoke only uses chlorine as a secondary disinfectant to provide 'disinfection residual' throughout the distribution lines to prevent bacterial re-growth. The use of chlorine was reduced to non-tastable levels of .2 to .3 parts per million. Furthermore, the washwater used to flush the membranes can be discharged into Greeley Creek without impacting the environment.

As part of the new water treatment facility and increased discussion regarding water management, the community committee has recommended and will actively advocate new water use efficiency programs to ultimately reduce water demand and manage water resources within the city of Revelstoke.

Revelstoke water treatment facility at Greeley Creek began operation in the spring of 2000, due largely to the teamwork and problem-solving among the project partners. USFilter partners on this project include the design team of Dayton & Knight, Ltd., of West Vancouver, BC, and Malcolm Pirnie Inc., of Carlsbad, California, and project management by Maple Reinders, of Kelowna, BC. USFilter's representative is Mequipco Sales, Ltd., of Richmond, BC.

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