City of Winnipeg officials recently toured the construction site at the North End sewage treatment plant, highlighting progress on the first phase of the city’s most expensive project ever, valued at $3.2 billion—surpassing the entire 2026 municipal budget. Officials describe it as one of the most intricate undertakings in city history.
Complexity of Ongoing Operations
Millions of litres of raw sewage flow through the facility daily as workers integrate new infrastructure with the existing system. Matt Dryburgh, the city’s deputy chief administrative officer, likened the effort to ‘doing multiple organ transplants while the patient is alive.’
The plant processes about 70 percent of Winnipeg’s wastewater and all solids from the sewer system. Current capacity will likely reach limits in four to six years, intensifying the need for timely completion.
First Phase: Headworks and Power Supply
Construction on the new headworks facility and power supply wraps up this summer. This initial treatment stage removes grit, sand, and debris from incoming wastewater before it advances through the plant.
Integration demands precise coordination, including round-the-clock dives at night. Deputy project manager Rob Black noted, ‘We’ve had to undertake that work with divers working nights on a 24/7 basis to fit it in with the plant operations.’
Several storeys underground, powerful pumps elevate sewage approximately 22 metres to enable gravity-fed flow. The robust reinforced concrete structure features thick walls to manage the volume securely.
Future Phases and Improvements
Once operational, the headworks upgrade enhances reliability and efficiency at the 1937-commissioned plant. Overall construction began in 2021.
The second phase, focusing on biosolids removal, starts later this year. The third and final phase for nutrient removal awaits $1 billion in additional funding. City officials confirm commitments from provincial and federal governments, including $16 million more from Ottawa, to support the project.
