The SWAMP Landfill is adding a $1.1 million cell expansion.

SWAMP Manager Brent Kletke says there was some urgency to the project.

"As our cell we're currently working on fills, we were a little concerned if we didn't do it this year we wouldn't have enough room to operate for the entire year," Kletke explains.

The board recently awarded the tender for the expansion, creating the landfill's 5th cell since opening in 1996.

Work is expected to begin this spring and is expected to wrap up in summer.

The cell will add 835,300 cubic meters of space and serve the region for 12 years based on projected waste volumes.

SWAMP currently receives more than 22,280 metric tonnes of waste per year.

However, despite the need for expansion Kletke says they're seeing a positive trend; population is growing faster than the increase in waste collection.

Board Chair Hank Hildebrand notes a number of waste reduction strategies have been launched to bring those numbers down.

"We had a number of pilot projects where we worked together with businesses to look for diversion opportunities and gather some data," Hildebrand explains. "Diverting metal, concrete, tires, and appliances on the site have all proven successful."

Cell four is currently nearing full capacity

In Winkler metric tonnes of waste saw a decrease from 2,096 in 2014 to 1,510 the following year.

In 2016 Winkler was up slightly to 1,574.

In Morden, metric tonnes of waste saw a continual decrease from 1,455 in 2014, to 1,236 the following year. And finally as low as 787 last year.

The pilot project with Morden Co-op grocery store diverted an estimated 13,830 kg of organic waste between August and December 2016.

Similar projects are being considered in Winkler with the recently created Waste Reduction Task Force.

SWAMP's Brent Kletke (pictured) has taken over from longtime manager Dave Wolfe

SWAMP is located four miles North of PTH 14 on 428, two miles East, 3/4 mile North