The Region of Waterloo is turning to innovative technology to increase drinking water capacity three years earlier than expected, offering some relief to communities facing development constraints. A pilot project at the Mannheim Water Treatment Plant is now treating water and has made 20 litres per second of additional capacity available to the region’s drinking water system. “Today marks an important milestone,” said said Ishtiaque Tunio, the region’s commissioner of water and wastewater services, during an announcement on Wednesday. “The pilot program is now successfully connected to the plant and treating water.” The Mannheim side stream project has moved from a pilot program to a proof of concept, after regional officials warned in late 2025 that water capacity constraints in the Mannheim service area could limit growth. “Late last year we announced the water capacity constraint in the Mannheim service area. We were five years away from new planned water to come online,” said Karen Redman, chair of the Region of Waterloo. Water infrastructure projects traditionally take five to 10 years to deliver. In an effort to accelerate the process, the region explored alternative approaches before installing a modular container at the Mannheim plant. The technology draws water from the Grand River and treats it before it enters the drinking water system. “One of the parts of the treatment process is to remove those organics,” said Pam Law, the region’s director of water capacity projects. “The ultrafiltration, that is the first step of removing those organics. So we do combine them with some chemical to help coagulate - make the particles bigger. So you have a filter media with small holes that keep those larger particles from going through.” Half of the first container is now operational, adding 20 litres per second of capacity. Work is underway to connect the second half by the end of the year, which is expected to provide another 20 litres per second. Three additional larger containers are already on-site, with work underway to connect them to the water system. Water is expected to flow through them and into the plant by mid-2027, but the capacity will not be available for allocation until 2028, after necessary work at other sources is completed. “All four of them combined are anticipated to bring to 240 litres per second of additional capacity,” Law said. Redman said the additional capacity will help the region accommodate projected development in the coming years. “That kind of capacity will put us in good shape by mid-2027 to accommodate all of the projected development until 2031,” she said. The progress is also welcome news for developers whose projects have been affected by water capacity concerns. Joseph Puopolo, co-CEO of Polocorp and Urban Initiatives, said the new capacity offers some reassurance after several important projects were put on pause. “It’s good to know that this matter is somewhat resolved so we can move forward in a thoughtful way. Water is starting to flow. Building permits are starting to be issued,” Puopolo said. The region said the pilot project follows direction from Regional Council to consider alternative ways of delivering water infrastructure. The approach was approved by council earlier this year. Redman called it a made-in-Waterloo Region solution that demonstrates the expertise within the community and allows growth to continue while maintaining a stable environment. A total of 50 litres per second of water capacity has been made available for allocation in 2026, in accordance with the region’s allocation policy. That amount can support a population of 28,500 people or a mix of residential and economic development opportunities, as determined by local municipalities. The 2026 allocation represents about 80 per cent of anticipated residential demand in the Mannheim service area through 2031. Additional capacity is expected to be added in 2027 and beyond to support projected growth. Despite the progress, officials say the modular containers are a temporary measure. They are expected to operate for about four years while the region works toward installing a permanent system.
