A drop in the demand for water has the CEO for the Pembina Valley Water Co-op (PVWC) confident regional water plants can make it through the final stretch of summer if communities continue to use water responsibly.

Greg Archibald said the Letellier plant was feeding its respective communities at a full capacity of 92 litres per second in June, decreasing to roughly 86 litres per second in July. He said since sprayer season, and the peak of the summer heat are no longer weighing heavily on the region's shoulders, he thinks the water supply can remain steady.

He emphasized the lack of rainfall this summer has not been an issue, because there are enough water resources, but it's the plant's inability to pull water quickly enough that prevents the water levels from rising.

Archibald also attributed a strategy change with the City of Winkler for this stability. He said Winkler is using between five and eight litres per second less compared to this spring; now, the city is pulling water directly from its aquifer. He explained this is beneficial for both parties, because the city can use its own water in the summer, allowing the PVWC to supply other communities. Therefore, the Water Co-op will provide Winkler with less water in summer, and more in winter when the city requires water to send its waste product to lagoons.

Currently, the PVWC is researching ways to better meet the demand for water in the future. The Water Co-op has been meeting with members of the 14 municipalities it serves, Associated Engineering and the provincial government's Department of Sustainability to establish a plan. Archibald said the research focuses primarily on disaster/drought planning, regulatory changes and how to serve the region's growing population.

"One of the reasons we're a little bit in trouble here is [because] there has been so much growth in the Altona, Winkler, Morden corridor ... and so that growth has enabled our plant to get closer to capacity with the pumps, and all the stuff we have. So part of the study work will [airm to answer] how we can get more water in that system," said Archibald.

For now, Archibald urges communities to avoid using water unnecessarily.

 

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