Water levels, capacity among top priorities at Lethbridge treatment plant

While water will continue to flow through the Lethbridge treatment plant, how much there will be is the bigger question.

LETHBRIDGE — The City of Lethbridge is actively monitoring low water levels in the Oldman River but production at its water treatment plant hasn’t slowed down.

"Around 60 million litres of water is treated at the water treatment plant every day," said Doug Kaupp, general manager of city water and wastewater services.

"In the summertime, our maximum days can exceed 130 million litres of water and the plant capacity is 150 million litres."

But the ongoing low water levels and the snowpack are concerning.

In November, the Oldman River Reservoir was at 26 per cent, down from 58 per cent in August.

Kaupp says while water will continue to flow through the treatment plant, how much there will be is the bigger question.

"We've been setting record maximum day demand," he said, adding there is potential for water restrictions come the summer -- something he says has not happened in the city's history.

"Unlike floods, droughts can extend beyond 10 days and so I expect that we can be in for a long stretch through this summer," Kaupp said.

Restrictions could include limiting of watering of lawns and washing vehicles throughout the summer.

Kaupp says the city would also minimize water consumption, with less watering of parks and green spaces.

"We may be priding ourselves with brown lawns this summer," he said.

Last fall, the city dredged out part of the intake path to the treatment plant in hopes of minimizing low water impacts.

"We did that to make sure we could get water into the plant when it's iced over and all indications are that was a success," Kaupp said.

"Our treatment plant is a lot more efficient than it used to be because we can recycle some of the waste streams to the front of the plant."

While staff continue to monitor the situation, Kaupp is also focusing his attention on expanding the current facility to meet the growing needs of the city and surrounding area.

"The first phase would be to add 30 million litres of capacity to the plant, to go from 150 million litres to 180 million litres," he said.

"That could happen in the next five to 10 years."

Lethbridge also provides water for Coaldale, Coalhurst, Picture Butte, Monarch, Diamond City, Shaughnessy and Turin.