Region inching closer to short-term water capacity fix

Amidst the ongoing water supply shortage that continues to impact growth and development projects across Waterloo Region, some work is officially underway to temporarily boost that capacity for the Mannheim Service Area.

The region announced that the installation is nearly complete for the first of four temporary ultrafiltration containers at the Mannheim Water Treatment Plant, which is expected to double the region’s water capacity from 25 litres per second up to 50.

“This side-stream project is a temporary solution, but it’s a really important one, and it reflects a significant amount of work happening across the organization with our partners to bring capacity online as fast as possible,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman.

“They use advanced technology to filter solids from river water. Because these containers are mobile, they allow us to safely add water to the system sooner than traditional infrastructure would.”

Those containers are coming from Laminar Water, which primarily deploys the units as mobile water treatment plants in disaster areas.

In this case, though, the containers can also be used to supplement existing areas that need extra capacity during repairs or larger infrastructure changes, as is the case for the Mannheim Water Treatment Plant.

“What’s especially impressive is the timeline. Typically, a project like this could take up to four years,” Redman stated.

“Here, our staff, consultants, and contractors mobilized quickly to consider this work in 18 months.”

Council previously approved $15 million from its water capital reserves to fast-track the work being done through the ultrafiltration containers, with Redman saying that “a safe and reliable water supply is one of our top priorities.”

The region has said the project will provide some relief as they continue work at the existing plant and other possible infrastructure options to aid in the region’s water supply shortage.

The first container is expected to be up and running in June, with the other three units expected to be installed by the summer of 2027.