Spring 2025 Handy Helper’s Corner – Supplying Water to YMCA Wanakita
12-05-2025
By Dan Crawford
One of the most overlooked aspects of YMCA Wanakita’s infrastructure is our water systems. It takes a dedicated effort to ensure that a safe and consistent source of fresh water is available at every tap at Wanakita. Let me take you behind the scenes of the Wanakita Water Works.
The source and treatment
Wanakita draws all of its water from Koshlong Lake, known as surface water (water pumped from a well is considered groundwater). There are three long pipes that extend out into the lake to supply water to the three distribution centres:
Heming Welcome Centre and full-time staff housing,
The Core, Health Centre and everything on West,
East Dining Hall and everything on the East side of camp.
Powerful pumps draw this water from the lake and into the filter and treatment centres.
Making the water safe to drink
As the water is pumped from the lake it passes through layers of gradually finer material filters to remove any debris, colour, or taste of raw lake water.
The water then passes through a UV chamber that bombards the water and removes a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.
Lastly, a Dosatron—a water-powered, non-electric chemical machine—accurately injects chemicals into the water line. The Dosatron ensures that the chemical mixture remains the same regardless of variations in pressure and flow.
The Human Factor
To ensure that all of the measures have been effective a member of the Facilities Team who has passed the Walkerton Clean Water Centres Operation of Small Drinking Water Systems course will test the water at each of the Wanakita Distribution centres every day, with biological testing happening each month.
The water is now safe to drink and is distributed throughout Wanakita. Nothing is left to chance when it comes to the water at camp.
Wanakita Water Trivia and Facts
Water flow usage at Summer Kids Camp skyrockets on Dance Night 😉
The East Kitchen freezers and refrigerators are cooled with water from Koshlong Lake
There are currently three staff Team Members who are qualified to test water: Mark Rice, Tim Maaskant, and Kevin Fraser.
The East Water System must be opened each Spring and closed each Fall to protect the pipes from freezing over the winter months.
All KYBO’s must also be winterized to prevent bursting pipes.
Last July at The Core, an average of 15,073 liters/day was pumped through the system. That’s 467,271 liters/month!
#ShineOn #YMCAWanakita #HandyHelpersCorner
