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Winnipeg Waterways Now Safer as UV Treatment Returns
19 Mar
Summary
- Ultraviolet treatment has been reinstated at Winnipeg's North End sewage plant.
- Safety recommendations for Red River contact are lifted but handwashing is advised.
- The $3.2-billion plant upgrade is ongoing, with a nutrient removal phase unfunded.
The North End Wastewater Treatment Plant in Winnipeg has resumed its ultraviolet (UV) treatment process for wastewater. This critical step, halted since October for upgrades, neutralizes viruses and bacteria. The city has lifted its advisory against direct contact with the Red River, though handwashing after contact is still recommended.
This reinstatement is part of a substantial $3.2-billion upgrade to the facility, which processes about 70% of the city's wastewater. The first phase, including new headworks and power systems, is nearly complete. Further upgrades to the UV treatment itself are expected to finish this fall, promising a 75% energy reduction.
The overall project began in 2021, with a biosolids removal facility planned for later this year. However, a final phase for nutrient removal needs an additional $1 billion in funding to proceed, highlighting ongoing challenges in completing the plant's modernization.
