How We Treat Prince Albert's Water
It all starts at the river.
The City of Prince Albert uses a multi-barrier approach to treat surface water and produce safe, high-quality drinking water. Our treatment process includes eight steps, with each one playing an important role in removing particles, organic matter, contaminants, and microorganisms from the water.
On average, the Water Treatment Plant treats approximately 15,000 cubic metres of water every day, or 15 million litres.
Step 1: Screening
At the Raw Water Pumphouse, water from the river first passes through screens that remove larger debris and suspended material.
The water then receives an additive called potassium permanganate, which prepares the water for the next stage of treatment.
Step 2: Oxidation
Potassium permanganate oxidizes organic material in the water, making it easier to remove later in the treatment process.
Organic material can include plant matter such as leaves and grass, as well as sediment, sand and dirt. The water then travels underground and across the street to the main Water Treatment Plant.
Step 3: Coagulation
At the Water Treatment Plant, a coagulant is added to the water. The coagulant changes the structure of small particles, causing them to stick together and form larger particles that can be more easily removed.
The water then moves through three contact basins, where powdered activated carbon (PAC) is added.
PAC helps remove substances that can cause unpleasant tastes and odours. The carbon acts like a sponge, adsorbing these substances so they can be removed later in the treatment process.
The water then flows through a flow meter and into the clarifiers.
Step 4: Flocculation
The clarifiers contain three stages of the treatment process: coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation.
During flocculation, the small particles, or floc, and activated carbon come together to form larger particles. These larger particles are easier to remove during sedimentation.
Step 5: Sedimentation
During sedimentation, the larger particles settle toward the bottom of the tank.
Fine microsand and a polymer solution are added to help make the floc heavier. The polymer helps bind the particles to the sand, causing them to settle more quickly and efficiently.
The resulting sludge is removed from the treatment process, while some of the material is circulated through hydrocyclones to recover the microsand for reuse.
At this stage, the water is much clearer, but the treatment process is not complete. There are still several important barriers remaining.
Step 6: Filtration
The water flows by gravity through four filters containing layers of sand and anthracite.
These filters remove additional particles that were not removed during sedimentation. The filtered water then flows into the pipe gallery below the filters.
Step 7: UV Disinfection
Next, the water is disinfected using ultraviolet (UV) light.
UV treatment inactivates microorganisms such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia, providing another important barrier to protect drinking water quality.
Step 8: Chlorine Disinfection
Finally, chlorine is added to the water to disinfect bacteria and viruses that may remain.
Chlorine also provides ongoing protection as the water travels through the distribution system to homes and businesses.
Monitoring Water Quality
Water quality is monitored throughout the entire treatment process.
Flow meters and online instruments continuously measure and monitor the water to ensure it is being treated to the required standards.
The source water monitoring system continually monitors the quality of the raw water entering the plant. It provides an early warning of potential changes or contaminants in the source water.
A total organic carbon analyzer also helps staff identify changes in the organic material present in the raw water.
From the Treatment Plant to Your Tap
Once treatment is complete, the water is sent to the River Street Reservoirs, where the chlorine continues the disinfection process.
The City has four reservoirs with sufficient storage capacity to meet approximately four days of water demand.
From the reservoirs, water flows to the pump wells and into the City's water distribution system, where it reaches homes and businesses throughout Prince Albert.
From the river to your tap, every step of the treatment process is designed to provide safe, high-quality drinking water for our community.
We hope you enjoyed the tour and learned more about how Prince Albert's drinking water is treated.
The Water Plant can treat 33 million litres per day. The Water Plant meets all Federal and Provincial Water Quality Regulations. Water quality results can be viewed in the Annual Notice to Consumers. Click below to view previous annual reports.
