Major water infrastructure project completed in Nisku

LEDUC -- The new Nisku Booster Station is now complete.

The major water infrastructure project was led by the Capital Region Southwest Water Services Commission, which is comprised of various local municipalities across Leduc County. The $21,600,000 project was funded by the CRSWSC's water rate reserves, while $2,300,000 was contributed through the Government of Alberta's Water for Life grant program.

Shawn Olson -- CRSWSC Commission Manager and GM of Infrastructure and Planning at the City of Leduc -- says this will expand the region's overall water capacity and was first proposed as part of the commission's 2016 master plan. Ground was broken in 2022 and construction officially wrapped up this year. 

"The commission's mandate is to ensure that as development occurs in any of our member municipalities, we can continue to supply water," said Olson. "Without this, eventually we would run out of the ability to supply people with water."

The new booster station includes a new pump station and 900-millimetre diameter water supply and discharge lines. The station is designed to meet peak water demand projections of 390 litres per second. This is the equivalent to 13.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water passing through the station per day and almost 5,000 pools per year.

"It's critically important, and I think that's recognized by the province," said Olson. "This project is one of those projects that ensures that all of our communities can continue to grow."

The new booster station is located west of Sparrow Drive and north of Highway 19.