Automating stormwater pond monitoring in Vaughan

The City of Vaughan launched an exciting new proactive approach to stormwater pond monitoring with an innovative technology that automatically monitors the quantity and quality of stormwater in select City ponds, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The monitoring system provides location-based, real-time data utilizing a secure and private wireless network, and industrial grade water and air sensors to remotely measure a variety of data, such as water temperature, conductivity, salinity, pH, turbidity, water level, oxygen reduction potential, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, air temperature and barometric pressure.

Ten ponds have been selected throughout Vaughan and will be monitored for the next 12 months. They include the following:

• Ward 1: Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital Pond and the Joint Operations Centre Pond
• Ward 2: Vaughan Valley Pond and Sunset Pond
• Ward 3: Chatfield Pond and Davos Pond
• Ward 4: Sir Stevens Pond and Romina Pond
• Ward 5: Oakbank Pond and Marita Payne Pond

This innovative project aligns with the City’s commitment to leverage data-driven decision-making and promote innovation and continuous improvement with the potential to deliver the following:

• Comprehensive statistical measurements of the health and resiliency of the City’s stormwater management ponds.
• Proactive operations and maintenance tools to facilitate data-driven decision-making.
• Input to cost-effective preventative maintenance programming.
• Effective and efficient deployment of operations staff.
• Data-driven planning for the design and construction of critical stormwater management facilities.
• Reduced risk of flooding and environmental damage.
• Predictive analytics.

This is the latest in a long list of innovative approaches taken by the City’s Public Works team, including SmartParks, QR codes at select parks seamlessly connecting residents to City services, IrisGO, an automated road maintenance device, and the Maintenance Decision Support System used to optimize efficiency in the City’s winter maintenance operations, among others.

The City has more than 150 stormwater ponds, which are designed to collect run-off and contaminants, and provide flood mitigation measures throughout Vaughan. These ponds are usually found in neighbourhoods where stormwater can easily be collected and eventually released back into rivers, creeks and Lake Ontario – the source of Vaughan’s drinking water.

To learn more about the City’s stormwater ponds, watch this video or visit vaughan.ca/stormwater.

Employing this new technology is a collaborative effort between the City’s Public Works department and Ioticiti Networks Inc. It reflects the Environmental Stewardship and Operational Performance priorities of the Council-approved 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan. Enhancing operational performance and fostering a culture of continuous improvement is central to Environmental Services’ work. The City is also committed to protecting the environment and fostering a sustainable future while delivering Service Excellence.

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