Site Accessibility Information Access Key 1 to Skip to Top Navigation Access Key 2 to Skip to the Three One One link Access Key 3 to Skip to City of Winnipeg Main Menu Access Key 4 to Skip to Left Navigation Menu Access Key 5 to Skip to Content area Access Key 6 to Skip to Right Sidebar content area Access Key 7 to Skip to Footer Links
Water and Waste Department

Benefits of West End Water Pollution Control Centre (WEWPCC) upgrades

  • Compliance with more stringent end-of-pipe discharge limits, terms and conditions contained in the Manitoba Environment Act Licence No. 2669ERR

Effluent disinfection will provide the following benefits:

  • The existing polishing ponds1 at the WEWPCC reduce wastewater treatment plant effluent fecal coliform levels to compliance levels during the summer months. Year-round disinfection will reduce fecal coliform levels ranging from 50,000 to 250,000 per 100mL to a monthly average of 200 per 100mL (or less) for year-round compliance levels
  • Reduced risk of contracting gastrointestinal illness for people using the river for boating, fishing and irrigation
  • Ultraviolet technologies, which do not require the use of chemicals, eliminate the risk of a chemical spill and improve health and safety conditions for both plant operators and the public

Biological nutrient removal will provide the following benefits:

  • Approximately 62% reduction of total annual phosphorus loading from about 46 tonnes per year to approximately 17.5 tonnes per year
  • Approximately 45% reduction of total annual nitrogen loading from about 320 tonnes per year to approximately 175 tonnes per year
  • These additional annual reductions from the WEWPCC effluent, NEWPCC centrate and biological nutrient removal at the SEWPCC will achieve the interim reduction targets of 10% for phosphorus loading and 13% for nitrogen loading from Winnipeg's current situation, consistent with those established in the Lake Winnipeg Action Plan to return Lake Winnipeg to pre-1970 levels
  • Potentially result in improved water quality and reduced algae blooms in Lake Winnipeg
  • Protection of aquatic life from the potentially harmful effects of un-ionized ammonia. The biological nutrient removal process converts ammonia to nitrite/nitrate through the nitrification process and then from nitrite/nitrate to nitrogen gas in the denitrification process. These conversion processes significantly reduce the ammonia concentration in the final effluent to levels well below any that could cause harmful effects to aquatic life

1 The polishing ponds provide cooling in the winter to prevent open ice on the Assiniboine River. Ducks Unlimited has also asked that the City keep the polishing ponds for habitat reasons.

Last updated: September 26, 2018

Was this information helpful?

How can we make this web page better?

Information collected will be used to improve our website. Do not use this form to submit a request for service or information because it will not be forwarded to departments for response. To submit a request for service or information, contact 311.

This form is not intended to collect personal information; however, any personal information you choose to include in your comments is collected by the City of Winnipeg under the authority of section 36(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of improving our website and will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes, except as authorized by law. Contact the Corporate Access and Privacy Officer by mail (City Clerk’s Department, Susan A. Thompson Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg MB, R3B 1B9) or by telephone (311) if you have any questions about the collection of this information.

Ces renseignements sont-ils utiles?

Comment pourrait-on améliorer cette page Web?

Les renseignements recueillis serviront à l’amélioration de notre site Web. Prière de ne pas se servir de ce formulaire pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, car la demande ne sera pas transmise au service en question. Pour soumettre une demande de service ou de renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec le 311.

Le présent formulaire ne vise pas à recueillir des renseignements personnels. Cependant, les renseignements personnels que vous choisissez d’inclure dans vos commentaires sont recueillis par la Ville de Winnipeg en conformité avec l’alinéa 36(1)b) de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information et la protection de la vie privée dans le but d’améliorer son site Web et ne seront ni utilisés ni divulgués pour d’autres raisons, sauf dans les cas où cela est autorisé par la loi. Communiquez avec l’agent de l’accès à l’information et de la protection de la vie privée de la Ville par courrier au Bureau du greffier, immeuble Susan-A.-Thompson, 510, rue Main, Winnipeg (Manitoba) R3B 1B9, ou par téléphone au 311 si vous avez des questions sur la collecte de ces renseignements.