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REGINA WATER

From the Rocky Mountains to the Prairies Regina's drinking water begins its journey in the Rocky Mountains and travels to Saskatchewan through the South Saskatchewan River system. It leaves Lake Diefenbaker via the Qu'Appelle River and flows into Buffalo Pound Lake. Because Buffalo Pound is a shallow lake, plant growth during warm summer months can cause the water to become bad tasting. However with the treatment technologies at the Buffalo Pound Water Plant, bad tasting water is very much a thing of the past. Today, Regina is rightfully proud of its year round, high quality drinking water.


The Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant serves Regina, Moose Jaw and several other users, including large industrial plants near Belle Plaine. The plant has a rated capacity of 200 million litres of water per day, and with its various treatment processes, including granular activated carbon, eliminates bad taste and odour from the water. The plant uses on-line particle counters for checking the number of microscopic particles in the water. This keeps track of how well the plant is working and ensures that safe, clean water is produced. It's a carefully controlled process with good technology operated by well-trained personnel. Researchers at the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant are always studying alternative treatment chemicals and treatment processes to meet the challenges of the future. Water quality is monitored throughout the treatment process by on-line analysers and by laboratory staff. Additional testing is done by independent outside labs. The well-equipped laboratory analyzes the physical, chemical and microbiological properties of the water. Tests are performed to check for 65 different substances, and over 25,000 tests are done each year. Water that is already in the Regina and Moose Jaw distribution systems is also routinely analyzed to ensure that nothing has entered the system after the water has left the treatment plant. Today the City of Regina obtains almost all of its water from the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant. Wells that used to provide part of the City's water supply are now used mostly for reserve or emergency purposes. The Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant produces a consistently high quality drinking water supply, meeting the needs of all homes and businesses.