Rain Gardens at The Foothills

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Spring has arrived at The Foothills, and while we have been spoiled with sunshine and warm weather, the rain has started (and will likely stick around a while!).

Did you know that Burke Mountain has some beautiful Rain Gardens landscaped into its parks and open spaces?

While you may have seen a Rain Garden in your neighbourhood, you may not quite know what their purpose is.

Not only do Rain Gardens look beautiful, they play an important role in keeping our creeks and streams clean. Rain Gardens are carefully chosen plants and rocks that help filter sediment through rain and runoff. They prevent excess amounts of this sediment and pollutants to enter our natural waterways.

Plants in Rain Gardens are chosen because of their ability to thrive in moist and flooded areas.

Rain Gardens are built in low-lying areas where they collect water as it runs off through a neighbourhood. As water leaves the Garden, it enters a pipe that leads to a drain system which then leads to a nearby creek.

Check out the large Rain Garden at Galloway Park!

 

Implementation of New Water Retention System

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Wesbild’s new state of the art water retention and chemical treatment system is now installed for use on our construction sites! After months of hard work collaborating with Port Moody-based Aquasolve, this new system replaces our previous water treatment strategy of excavating and constructing a large sediment pond.

How Does It Work?

First, the dirty storm water run-off is collected in a large steel container. Once the water reaches a certain level, a sensor tells a Programmable Logic Controller (an industrial digital computer) to pump the dirty water into a separate treatment tank for pH testing and chemical treatment. Once this is done, the water is sent into a smaller tank which allows for the chemicals to properly bond with the water. This tank also allows for heavy solids to be sifted out of the water. Next, a sensor triggers the system to pump the water through a series of sand filters to further clean the water. For good measure, the water is sent back into the treatment tank for another pH test. If the results satisfy the acceptable discharge levels, it is pumped out of the system into a storm drain.

 

 

Real-time Monitoring

One of the best features of this new system is its ability to be monitored in real time. Throughout this entire process, the Programmable Logic Controller allows for the system to be remotely monitored. In the rare event that something goes wrong, Wesbild and our Environmental consultant, and the City of Coquitlam will be alerted right away, and we can promptly act to fix the problem. Using this new system effectively ensures our site will remain in compliance with the bylaw during construction.

A Wesbild Commitment

Wesbild has always been committed to environmentally responsible development, and water treatment plays a huge role in that. The system was designed over months of research and testing, and can be disassembled and reinstalled on future development sites. With this new system, Wesbild is confident our water treatment has thoroughly improved, and we look forward to its continued use at Burke Mountain.

 

Rain Barrel Program

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Gardening season is back, and the Burke Mountain community has a green initiative that makes gardening easier for you and the environment! Every single-family home at The Foothills at Burke Mountain was built with a rain barrel – a clever device for water conservation.

How do they work?

Rain barrels are used to collect rain water, providing an easy way to conserve water. They come equipped with a filtration system to ensure your water is clean, giving you a great supply for all your landscaping and gardening needs. Not only does this help conserve water, but also using this water for your gardens and allowing it to be fed into the ground rather than a storm pipe helps to maintain base flows in nearby creeks.

With the hot summer months in full swing, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of your rain barrel! Use the rain barrel to water your flower pots and garden beds, and feel good about water conservation.

Water Quality Ponds at Burke Mountain

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Water quality treatment is an important priority for the Burke Mountain community. That’s why you’ll see multiple Water Quality Ponds throughout the neighbourhood to help ensure that no run-off water enters receiving creeks and rivers without being thoroughly treated. These ponds prevent coarse silt and other contaminants from entering environmentally sensitive streams.

Water Quality Ponds help to naturally remove sediment, nitrates, phosphates, and metals from the water. One of the ways in which they do this is with carefully selected plants in and around the pond. Specifically, plants that are fast growing, have high metabolic rates and vast roots are beneficial. These plants act as a natural filter, allowing nearby fish-bearing creeks to have optimal water. Another benefit of water quality ponds is that they help to maintain the base flows of waterways throughout the Burke Mountain community.

These Water Quality Ponds are one of the many ways we ensure water is treated properly at Burke Mountain. Keep an eye out for these ponds around Fifeshire Street, at the west end of Highland Drive, and at the back of Marguerite Park!