Latest news with #KurtisDoney
CTV News
14-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
City of Regina awarded for efforts in wastewater management
WATCH: The City of Regina has earned an award for their work in wastewater management, spanning over a decade long. Angela Stewart explains. WATCH: The City of Regina has earned an award for their work in wastewater management, spanning over a decade long. Angela Stewart explains. Recognition is being given to the City of Regina through a new award for their efforts in wastewater management in the city. Calling Lakes Ecomuseum presented the award to the city to celebrate the milestone sparked by a pivotal moment over a decade ago. 'Twenty-eight public beaches in the Qu'Appelle Valley had to be closed for a week because of high E. coli,' Aura Lee MacPherson, the Chair of Calling Lakes Ecomusuem, explained. It happened after a heavy rainfall event on Canada Day, which prompted the city to release partially untreated sewage into Wascana Creek. The city acted swiftly in their response, work that has sustained over the last decade. 'We went through a major upgrade of our wastewater treatment plant back in around 2015, 2016 timeframe. Back then, we invested over $175 million in that treatment plant,' Kurtis Doney, the Deputy City Manger of City Operations said. 'We continue to invest in our wastewater collection system now and our storm water system,' he added. Some creeks have improved with other downstream recovering slower, according to some experts. 'We've seen a real improvement in the water quality in the Wascana Creek so that it is actually habitable for fish. It's good for amphibians. It doesn't have excessive growth of toxic algae. All of that stuff you want out of your water bodies,' said Peter Leavitt, a research professor at the University of Regina. Leavitt said there is still work that could be done to improve the water even further. 'You have cottaging all around the lake, which have some fairly old septic fields that probably need to be looked at, and then you have climate change. As it gets warmer, the conditions that favour some species we don't want, like toxic algae, become more and more common,' he explained. More than 25 billion litres of wastewater is treated at Regina's Wastewater Treatment Plant each year. The plant is owned by EPCOR. Once treated, it's then put safely back into Wascana Creek. The city said upgrades at the plant will likely happen in the future, making that investment another step towards maintaining good water throughout lakes and streams.
CBC
29-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Regina, Moose Jaw asking residents to conserve water due to issue at treatment plant
Social Sharing Regina and Moose Jaw are asking all residents to voluntarily restrict their water usage, as a disruption at the facility feeding both cities has reduced water supplies. The Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Corporation says it has, "identified an issue with the plant that is currently addressing." The unspecified issue is the result of upgrades being carried out at the facility. "This is an unexpected situation," said Kurtis Doney, the City of Regina's deputy city manager of city operations. Doney stressed the conservation request is necessary and must be followed as quickly as possible. "It's really important that we conserve water voluntarily because if we don't, we will need to move to mandatory water restrictions," Doney said. Emergency wells now active Doney said the Regina's emergency water wells are now active, but they can only provide the city with 25 to 30 per cent of the water it requires. The reliance on well water means some residents may notice water discoloration, Doney said. Regina and Moose Jaw have issued a list of recommendations to help conserve water. They include: Not watering lawns. Delay filling hot tubs, pools and ponds. Avoid washing vehicles except when required for health and safety. Turns off taps as much as possible during showering. Showering instead of bathing. Running dishwashers and washing machines only when full. Regina said it will be doing its part by not continuing to fill outdoor pools, turning off spray pads, discontinuing street sweeping and not watering parks with city water.
