• Manitoba’s Water Strategy
• Water Trends
• Safe Water, Healthy Communities
• Habitat and Heritage Rivers
• Water and Economic Diversification
• Agriculture Production and Proceessing
• Climate Change and Water
• Maintaining Water Quality
• Balancing Interests
• Knowledge and Attitude
• Human Activities
• Resourceful Forest Management
• Water, People and Wildlife
• Water Workers
• Winnipeg Drinking Water
• Sponsors

Safe reliable water has been at the center of Winnipeg’s success for more than 80 years. In the early part of the 20th century, securing a safe, reliable and abundant water supply was seen as a major challenge to Winnipeg’s growth. After much debate, visionary Winnipeggers elected to proceed with a daring proposal to bring water by aqueduct from Shoal Lake on the Ontario-Manitoba boundary to Winnipeg. Shoal Lake was described as one of the best fresh water sources in the world.

The route to Shoal Lake lay across 137 kilometers of wilderness with no road access. The Greater Winnipeg Water District railway had to be built to transport the men, equipment and materials to construct the aqueduct. Construction started May 15, 1915 and Shoal Lake water first flowed from Winnipeg taps April 6, 1919. The total cost of the project was 17 million dollars.

Since completion in 1919, the aqueduct has provided Winnipeg with its entire water supply. By the 1990s the aqueduct was in need of extensive repairs or replacement. The cost of a new aqueduct was estimated at in excess of 500 million dollars and so the decision was made to rehabilitate the existing aqueduct.

The task was challenging since the aqueduct is the primary source of supply for Winnipeg’s water and it could not be shut down for periods any longer than 20 days at a time. This 10 year, 57million dollar project is now almost complete and the aqueduct is expected to provide another fifty years of useful service to the 670,000 residents of the City of Winnipeg.

Along with an assured supply of water, the City of Winnipeg is also phasing in a comprehensive water treatment program. The program includes an ultra violet disinfection plant to be in operation by 2004, a chloramination facility to be in operation by 2005 and the balance of the water treatment facilities in operation by 2007. These facilities will reduce the levels of trihalomethanes, protect against potential health risks such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia, improve the taste, smell and appearance of the water and meet changing drinking water standards. They should also enhance overall customer satisfaction.