Lethbridge city councillors are recommending moving ahead with a $285-million expansion of the city’s wastewater treatment plant as officials warn the system is nearing its operational limits and future growth depends on new infrastructure investment.
During a May 13 meeting, the Community Issues Committee unanimously recommended proceeding with upgrades to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, including a 50 per cent increase in treatment capacity and the addition of a new industrial pretreatment facility.
City officials said the added treatment capacity would help accommodate long-term residential, commercial and industrial growth.
Jason Drenth, the city’s general manager of water, wastewater and electric utilities, said the facility is operating at capacity.
“The growth over the last 40 years has put us in a spot where it’s time to make the next investment for the future, for the next 20 or 30 years,” Drenth said.
He said the expansion is critical because operational challenges are becoming more frequent as the system reaches its limits.
“Because we are operating at capacity, any little minor upset in the system causes issues down at the plant right now.”
“Operational issues become more complex, it costs more to run, we’re dealing with unplanned breakdowns.”
The wastewater treatment plant was last expanded in the 1980s. According to city administration, plans for the upgrade include expanded treatment infrastructure and electrical improvements aimed at improving reliability and handling future demand.
Drenth said the work is expected to be completed by 2030.
“This is not an emergency right now, but it’s the time to plan, to rebuild and allow the growth for the future,” he said.
Drenth said the committee’s recommendation allows administration to move ahead sooner because the project had originally been expected to come forward as part of the city’s 2027-2036 capital improvement program.
“Today’s approval means we’re permitted to move up construction,” he said. “Once it’s approved within city council, we can begin construction and start building for the future.”
Mitch Stevenson, the city’s financial planning and budget manager, said the project would be the largest capital investment in Lethbridge’s history at $285 million.
Of the total project cost, $261 million would be financed through borrowing while $24 million would come from reserves.
To repay the borrowing, administration recommended annual wastewater rate increases of 18.05 per cent from 2027 through 2030.
“It’s not 18.05 per cent one year,” Stevenson said. “It’s 18.05 per cent on top of another 18.05 per cent up until 2030.”
The city estimates the increases would add $4.42 per month to the average residential wastewater bill in 2027, growing to a cumulative increase of $23.05 per month by 2030.
Stevenson stressed the increases would apply only to wastewater charges, not property taxes.
“There will be no increases to property taxes as a result of the approval today,” he said. “What was approved will only impact wastewater bills and wastewater bills only.”
The Community Issues Committee also recommended city council direct administration to bring forward borrowing bylaws in the coming months for formal approval.
