WCW26

The City of Winnipeg’s Aqueduct was constructed between 1914 and 1919 and supplies potable water to a population of 800,000 from Shoal Lake at the Ontario/Manitoba border. While a majority of the 155 km length flows by gravity, the portion within the City operates under pressure, was constructed from 1650 and 1200 mm pre-cast concrete pressure pipe, and is now known as the Branch I Aqueduct, supplying 40% of Winnipeg’s potable water.
 
Winnipeg’s clay soils are high in sulphates which causes a breakdown of the cementitious matrix in concrete structures. This was a known phenomenon at the time of construction, but as sulphate resistant cement had not been invented in 1914, Engineers opted for high quality concrete and the use of an underdrain system, to control groundwater and, by extension, reduce sulphate attack on the pipe. The underdrain was constructed from 150 to 300 mm clay tile pipe with open joints to permit the infiltration of groundwater, akin to a French drain, and discharges to the Seine River, Red River, and the combined sewer system. 
 
Following a 2021 condition assessment program, the City initiated a repair program to address urgent repairs on the Branch I Aqueduct Underdrain. The project included the repair of three river outfalls, the elimination of two connections to the combined sewer system, and the repair of defects along approximately 2 km of the underdrain. Challenges, to completing the repairs included limited access to the underdrain via 750 mm manholes, repairs beneath active rail tracks, and working near the City’s GWWD railway. Repairs using trenchless technologies were prioritized where possible using both cured in place pipe (CIPP) lining and CIPP spot repairs. However, where open cut repairs were required, the Branch I Aqueduct needed to be carefully exposed and unloaded to prevent inadvertent movement of the pipe. 
 
The repair project has restored the functionality of the underdrain within the project area, focusing on maintaining the underdrain functionality by using spot repairs (external and internal), full length lining in portions where underdrain functionality is not required, and replacement where trenchless rehabilitation was not feasible. As a result of this program, the Branch I Aqueduct continues to be protected against sulphate attack by the underdrain and is expected to continue to serve the City of Winnipeg for years to come.

The Water Security Agency (WSA) in Saskatchewan has the legislative authority to regulate water and wastewater treatment systems and enforce standards with respect to drinking water and wastewater quality in the province. Recently, the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW) published the drinking water quality objective of 30 ng/L for Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The WSA is part of the CDW will adopt the PFAS objective in the province. Before adoption of the objective, the WSA would like to conduct a scientific study that include determining the exposure levels of PFAS in Saskatchewan waters at selective water, wastewater treatment plants and receiving waters. The study will also aim to determine the treatment efficiency and assess other impacts, if any.  The science needed to assess the impacts of these compounds on the human health is still emerging.  The objective of the study is to determine the occurrence and concentrations of PFAS from selective water and wastewater treatment plants and downstream locations of wastewater treatment plants that discharge treated effluent into fish bearing waters in the province. The results will be useful in determining the exposure levels of PFAS in Saskatchewan waters and treatment efficiency that will help in adopting PFAS objective in the province. This paper includes the results of sampling/research studies that are conducted up to date to determine the exposure levels PFAS in water.  

In both Australia and Canada, access to potable water in many Indigenous communities is a challenge due to systemic issues; including a historic lack of investment, ageing infrastructure, and challenges associated with logistics in small remote communities. Equitable water access drives the need for water treatment plant (WTP) upgrades and their respective designs to holistically consider community needs. 
In Canada, a combination of systemic and historical challenges has led to the prevalence and persistence of boil water advisories. These advisories necessitate WTP upgrades and adequate staffing to provide a reliable supply. Though 151 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted since November 2015 on public systems, there are still 39 long-term drinking water advisories in effect in at least 37 First Nations public water systems across Canada under long-term drinking water advisories as of February 10, 2026.  
The Australian Government has also committed to support the delivery of water infrastructure, which includes the National Water Grid’s $150M commitment towards water security in First Nations communities. One of the goals includes 9b. Closing the Gap. This goal by aims to have all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households either: 1) receiving essential services that meet or exceed the relevant jurisdictional standards or, if near a town, 2) essential services to those households shall meet or surpass the standards generally applied within that town by 2031. 
The purpose of this presentation is to review two case studies and discuss parallels, challenges, and lessons learned for design considerations needed in WTPs in remote Indigenous communities. The two case studies are located in Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, Canada and Bamaga, Northern Peninsula Area (Cape York), Queensland. Despite differences in climate and geography, both projects reveal parallels in project delivery and lessons learned that may support future drinking water equity for Indigenous communities globally.
While financial estimates and technical performance are usually prioritised in the optioneering process for selecting the best treatment processes for a source water, remote Indigenous communities face unique needs in the design and operation of potable water infrastructure beyond the traditional financial and technical inputs. This includes public perception, which requires building trust with local stakeholders, aligning staffing requirements with available skillsets, and managing complex construction costs and logistics. These considerations were critical to the implementation of both projects. The review and assessment included comparisons where applicable in the following focus areas: prediction of water demand, raw water quality, selection of water treatment processes, ease of delivery access, decision modelling principles, cost estimation factors, and construction considerations. This multi-faceted approach allowed for an exploration of both the conceptual and practical challenges involved in water treatment design for remote Indigenous communities in varying phases of delivery, from planning through construction and commissioning. 
This assessment revealed interesting parallels in challenges faced. Identifying shared obstacles in projects serving Indigenous communities can help uncover opportunities for improvement. By integrating these lessons learned into future designs, we can better understand barriers and further advancement for water equity access around the globe.
 

The Rossdale Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Edmonton, Alberta is a legacy facility originally constructed in 1947 and currently supplies approximately 35% of the city’s potable water demand. Faced with accelerated projected population growth and the need for reliable long-term supply, EPCOR required a strategy to increase firm net potable capacity from 300 to 375 ML/d, a 25% increase, without greenfield expansion. The plant’s location within the North Saskatchewan River valley, combined with legacy-designated structures and an operational facility serving over 400,000 people, presented significant constraints on the scope and execution of potential upgrades.
A comprehensive capacity assessment was completed through five sequential technical memoranda (TM1–TM5), each targeting a major process system: raw water intake and low-lift pumping (TM1), flocculation and clarification (TM2), filtration and UV disinfection (TM3), and reservoir conveyance and high-lift pumping (TM4). Hydraulic modelling confirmed that all four systems were capacity-constrained, with firm capacities ranging from 238 to 273 ML/d against a target gross demand of 416 ML/d (accounting for 10% in-plant process losses). Fifteen upgrade alternatives were developed spanning from targeted, internal structural modifications to full redundancy construction. TM5 integrated these findings through a structured multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework incorporating weighted criteria derived from stakeholder workshops. Five evaluation criteria were applied to quantitative risk adjustment, sensitivity analysis, and quadrant analysis, testing the robustness of rankings: operations and maintenance, constructability, capital cost, performance, and facilities siting.
The analysis demonstrated that targeted upgrades to existing infrastructure consistently outperformed high-cost green field replacement or process technology upgrades. The recommended program comprises four coordinated investments: replacement of low-lift pumps and twinning  influent piping to resolve the most critical bottleneck; expansion of tube settler coverage and effluent launders to increase clarification capacity; high-volume filter underdrain and media upgrades to increase filtration loading rates pending pilot confirmation; and replacement of a hydraulic restriction in the East Flume chamber to eliminate the reservoir conveyance bottleneck. The integrated strategy achieves the targeted  375 ML/d firm capacity at an estimated AACE Class 5 capital cost of $130.6M (2025 CAD). A phased implementation plan aligns capital expenditure with capacity trigger points through 2036, allowing investment to be deferred or accelerated in response to actual demand growth.
This presentation presents the decision framework, key technical findings, and lessons learned from each process assessment. The methodology offers a transferable approach for utilities across Western Canada facing similar challenges: how to extract meaningful capacity gains from aging treatment infrastructure through disciplined, risk-informed investment planning rather than defaulting to costly greenfield construction.

An effective Project Management Office (PMO) can provide the structure to capture what works, turn lessons into repeatable practices, and disseminate those practices across projects, teams and regions.This interactive session explores how the PMO supports the development and application of The 4 P’s of Water Project Management as a practical framework for strengthening project delivery within a WCDA informed project environment.
Using water-sector stories, project examples and audience participation, we will examine how a PMO helps create greater consistency in project alignment, decision-making, communication, risk awareness, learning and execution while allowing teams the flexibility required for different interest holders, projects and delivery models. A well-designed PMO can help organizations capture knowledge, reinforce effective behaviours, align project teams around common priorities and continuously improve the way projects are delivered to a high standard of care to internal and external interest holders.