Powering recovery: How diesel and electric dewatering pumps restored clean water after a fire
When a fire shut down a major water treatment plant in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, the local water utility urgently needed support to maintain service for 8,500 residents. Xylem responded immediately, deploying a Godwin diesel-driven dewatering pump to restore water access. Once the situation stabilized, the utility upgraded to a more efficient electric pump, keeping the community’s water flowing.
The fire broke out on September 13, 2023, and impacted the Wheatley Water Treatment Plant in southwestern Ontario, severely damaging critical plant components, including the permanently installed pump. With the plant out of commission, residents relied on swift action to restore water service.
As crews worked to rebuild the facility, Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission (CK PUC) moved quickly to construct a temporary water treatment plant. To keep clean water flowing to residents, the utility needed a dewatering pump as soon as possible and called on Xylem’s rental services for a solution.
Selecting a diesel pump for greater flexibility
Xylem has a rental fleet of over 6,000 assets, available across its network of branch offices in North America, including both electric and diesel pumps. CK PUC selected a more flexible diesel pump, as the temporary treatment plant had limited electrical services.
The Xylem Canada team quickly deployed a Godwin diesel CD160M to the site, which allowed the utility to build a fully functional temporary plant within a short time.
“We are grateful to the Xylem team for coming to our rescue at a difficult time,” said Mike Vandermaden, Operations Manager, CK PUC. “The team found a suitable rental unit within a very short period."
Switching to an electric pump to reduce complexity
After operating the temporary plant for several months, CK PUC assessed the system and found ways to increase efficiency. While the diesel engine met immediate needs, ongoing maintenance – oil changes, daily refueling, and adding diesel exhaust fluid, as well as the challenge of operating a Final Tier 4 engine – was causing extra work and cost for plant operators.
CK PUC reviewed the electrical consumption of the temporary plant over the first few months and found there was sufficient electrical supply to add an electric-powered pump. Xylem quickly located a suitable electric HL200M pump from its rental fleet and deployed it to the site. The electric pump would be the primary unit, with the diesel pump on standby for redundancy.
“We preferred the electric pump over diesel because it requires little maintenance, with no oil changes, less moving parts, and less noise, and the overall cost is lower,” said Vandermaden.
Dedicated support and increased efficiency
Xylem’s electric Godwin pump proved to be a transformative upgrade for CK PUC, delivering simplicity, reliability, and cost-savings. With reduced maintenance, lower lifecycle costs and a smaller carbon footprint, the switch to electric made a lasting impact.
What really stood out for CK PUC was Xylem’s unwavering technical support, always available to make sure everything ran smoothly. With a powerful pump and a dedicated team behind it, CK PUC confidently extended its rental contract through August 2025, keeping operations running smoothly until the main treatment plant is back online.
Learn more about the reliability and versatility of Xylem’s fleet of dewatering pumps.