Major renewal of Sask. water treatment plant going ahead with $222.8M in funding
By On-Site Staff
Infrastructure
The treatment plant provides water to more than a quarter million people in southern Saskatchewan
An aging water treatment plant that serves Regina, Moose Jaw and a number of smaller communities in southern Saskatchewan is getting a new lease on life, having secured $222.8 million in funding from the federal, provincial and local governments for a major renewal project.
The Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant, which supplies clean water to roughly 260,000 people, first opened its doors in 1955 and was last upgraded more than 30 years ago.
In a virtual press conference highlighting the funding commitments June 8, Dale Schoffer, chair of the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Corp., said facility won’t be able to keep delivering quality water at the quantities needed without the series of upgrades. The retrofit work, expected to take roughly three years, will extend the plant’s life by three decades, Schoffer added.
The renewal will consist of demolition, renovation and new construction, with crews gutting certain areas to make room for modern equipment, Ryan Johnson, president and CEO of the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Corp., said. The scope covers the main treatment plant, its pump stations and its reservoirs — which draw from nearby Buffalo Pound Lake.
Ottawa has promised $89.1 million for the project, while the Saskatchewan government will provide $74.3 million. The Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Corp., owned by the cities of Regina and Moose Jaw, will foot the remaining $59.4 million bill.
Johnson said the procurement process for the major construction project should start later this year.
Construction could begin in early 2022 and wrap up by 2025.
