With the new reservoir and pump station now complete in Coaldale, the Town’s potable water storage capacity has increased from approximately 3,400 cubic metres to 8,300 cubic metres, helping ensure the community can meet anticipated water demand and fire flow requirements over the next 25 years.
Identified as a key priority in the Town’s 2019 Infrastructure Master Plan, the project represents one of the most important water infrastructure investments in Coaldale’s history.
The Government of Alberta provided significant support for the project, including $525,045 in grant funding for engineering and design in 2023, followed by an additional $4.5 million for construction in 2024. The total projected cost of the project was just over $13 million.
The new reservoir and pump station is located west of Coaldale near the corner of 30 Street and 18 Avenue. Construction began in August 2024.
Director of Infrastructure Dustin Yanke said with the growth that’s occurring, the average demand through the town has continued to go up.
“With that, the importance of having water storage to manage those peak demands, as well as having increased water storage for fire events. It’s a regulated requirement, but also lets us continue growing into the future,” Yanke noted. “We still have the existing reservoir in town. With the addition of new pumps that can increase the available pressure through town, as those demands go up.”
According to Yanke, the water stored within the reservoir is pumped to Coaldale residents. “All the water within our facility.”
“But we do have some shared infrastructure with Lethbridge County, who we’re a partner with as part of the Lethbridge Regional Water Services Commission. And through our facility, water is bypassed to McCain’s, as well as a few other residents downstream of Coaldale,” Yanke explained.
