The City of Cranbrook is pleased to be on the receiving end of $9.5 million in grants from the federal and provincial governments to upgrade the community’s water treatment.
The money will go towards a new UV disinfection facility on the Phillips Reservoir.
“The new system would install ultraviolet light reactors to disinfect the water before it’s treated with liquid chlorine as the secondary treatment,” said Curtis Mummery, manager of roads and infrastructure. “This will be a massive improvement to our water treatment process. It’s a lot safer for our operators and provides a lot higher-quality drinking water for our community.”
Cranbrook’s water supply currently uses a single-treatment system with only chlorine.
The $9.5 million from the provincial and federal governments will go along with $3.46 million from the City of Cranbrook, bringing the total project budget to $12.99 million.
Mummery said this new facility will be designed with Cranbrook’s future growth in mind.
However, the project is still in its infancy.
“Over the remainder of this year and into next year, we’ll be doing the detailed design and procurement and that type of work,” said Mummery. “We’re looking to have construction start in late 2025 or early 2026.”
The new facility will be just downstream from the Phillips Dam and the existing treatment system.