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Aquatics Project Update

Posted on by Michelle Cadman

There are several projects underway in the aquatics facility to safeguard the animals and research programs. 

  1. Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) installation 
    1. Will provide a continual power to the zebrafish labs to protect the equipment where an unexpected power disruption impacts the aquatic life support systems. The UPS will minimize adverse effects on animal welfare and protects the equipment in use from potential damage. 
    2. Installation completed September 2021 
  2. Backup Heat System 
    1. The loss of heat in the aquatics facility housing tropical fish can have detrimental effects on the fish and research programs. 
    2. Currently a backup heat system project is underway with a projected completion date for February 2022. The system will be designed to automatically turn on when there is a planned or unexpected disruption to the heat supply. 
    3. A meeting with aquatic users will be scheduled in November 2021. 
    4. Annual steam shutdown 
      1. The central steam plant performs a shutdown of the steam supply to U of T buildings to perform annual maintenance. 
      2. The shutdown impacts aquatic areas where tropical fish are housed which adversely effects the temperature of the macro and micro environments of the fish 
      3. Procedures are followed to maintain the environments however, the response has been inconsistent and often impacts the research program of the fish. 
      4. In 2017 the CCAC flagged the lack of back up heat as a significant finding. 
      5. Utilities is working to complete the installation of a backup heat system to the aquatics facility by end of Dec 2021 allowing the aquatics area to refrain from any impact on future steam shutdowns affecting the heat to these facilities.  
    5. Power shutdowns 
      1. Power loss impacts the heat supplied to aquatics areas therefore a backup heat system is an added protection from planned and unplanned power loss. 
       
  3. RW Dechlorinated Water System 
    1. Utilities is working on plans to replace the existing dechlorinated water system in the RW building. 
    2. The existing system is old and not suitable for current needs of users. 
    3. The system will remove chlorine, chloramines and other contaminants before supplying clean dechlorinated water to labs and facilities. 
    4. Consultation and design underway. 
    5. A meeting with users will be scheduled in the near future.