Capacity at the Lethbridge Water Treatment Plant will be increased thanks to $2.8 million in provincial funds. Detailed design work will help prepare for much-needed upgrades at the plant.
According to the City of Lethbridge, on peak days, water treatment demands exceed 90 per cent of the current design capacity. The plant can currently treat up to 150 million litres per day. The expansion will increase maximum capacity to 180 MLD. The design project will also provide preliminary engineering services for a future increase to 250 MLD.
Mayor Blaine Hyggen says the expansion will allow the City to meet projected water demand during the next five years and beyond. “It’s necessary to support the City’s long-term residential and commercial growth. Increasing our water treatment capacity is essential to Lethbridge remaining a driver of regional economic growth.”
Nathan Neudorf, Alberta minister of Affordability and Utilities and MLA for Lethbridge-East adds, this funding will help ensure the community has the water it needs. “Supporting residents and our local economy without the need for additional costs to ratepayers.”
The planned upgrades will enhance treatment reliability and ensure Lethbridge residents continue to receive high-quality water. The increased capacity will also help meet the high and growing demands of the agri-food sector.
The benefits of the project stretch beyond the Lethbridge city limits. Twenty per cent of Lethbridge’s treated water supplies regional communities including Lethbridge County, Coaldale, Coalhurst, Monarch, Diamond City, Picture Butte, Iron Springs and Turin.
The comprehensive design phase is expected to be complete in 2025.
Hyggen notes this is a crucial first step to increasing plant capacity to 180 million litres per day. “This project remains a top priority for Council and we’re eager to explore more funding opportunities to enable us to move into the construction phase.”
