Upgraded water treatment systems improve energy efficiency, enable 24/7 remote operation, and help protect the environment at the Maple Ridge campus.
When it comes to sustainability initiatives, the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) is unique, just like many of the public safety training programs it offers.
That's why, when JIBC's Facilities division began upgrading the two water treatment systems at the Maple Ridge campus, it had to work with specialty contractors to design and build them from scratch.
After all, there aren’t many off-the-shelf solutions for campuses that offer hands-on fire training using life-sized props – from a three-storey concrete burn building to a mock train derailment and a ship structure – that are regularly set ablaze so firefighters can practise their skills.
JIBC completed upgrades to the the second of its two water treatment systems at the Maple Ridge campus in March. Julie Brown, JIBC's Director of Campus Planning & Facilities Operations, believes the systems may be among the first of their kind in Canada.
The need to treat water used in firefighter training
All fire training facilities, whether operated by schools or individual fire departments, should treat water used in firefighting whenever it contains contaminants or chemicals, such as specialized firefighting agents and fuels, Brown said.
At JIBC’s Maple Ridge campus, the Facilities division has created water treatment systems that collect water used in firefighter training in containment and settling ponds. It’s then treated, filtered and stored for reuse. In addition to ensuring untreated water isn't discharged into the environment, recycling the treated water minimizes water use and provides a consistent supply for training exercises.
JIBC upgraded the larger of the two systems in 2001 and again in 2006. Advances in technology have enabled each new generation of the systems to become more energy efficient and better tailored to JIBC's operational needs, such as handling short bursts of water at high flow rates.
The original systems relied on oversized electric and diesel-fuelled pumps. Today, the systems are fully electric, using variable-speed drives and high-volume electric booster pumps, to improve energy efficiency while delivering the required flow rates.
Better for the environment, more efficient for staff
The upgrades also include advanced features that make the systems easier to operate and maintenance more efficient. Connected to JIBC's existing building automation system, which manages heating and lighting across its campuses, the water treatment systems can now be monitored, operated, and troubleshot remotely. Facilities staff receive 24/7 alerts about potential issues, enabling them to diagnose and resolve many problems without travelling to the site.
"When I started at JIBC in 2017, it seemed that every day one of these pumps was down," Brown said. "Now, on the extremely rare occasions when Maple Ridge campus staff call to say there's a problem, we're already aware of it and working on a solution."
For more information on JIBC’s fire training programs at its Maple Ridge campus visit our Fire & Safety page.