Niagara Falls Water Treatment Plant

Niagara Region, in collaboration with Ontario Power Generation, is completing a design to relocate the raw water intake of the Niagara Falls Water Treatment Plant. This project will ensure long-term water supply for Niagara, while allowing for the continued operations and maintenance of the Sir Adam Beck Power Canal.

In 2008, the Region completed an environmental assessment to select a preferred method to continue to provide high quality raw water to the Niagara Falls Water Treatment Plant. It was determined that pumping temporarily from Alternative D (shown in image gallery) was the preferred alternative.

In 2018, the environmental assessment expired, and new information was provided by Ontario Power Generation concerning operational constraints and canal project timing, which made Alternative D no longer reasonable. Due to this, the Region completed a Class Environmental Assessment Study Addendum. The addendum followed the Municipal Engineer Association's 'Municipal Class Environmental Assessment' framework, and was designated as a Schedule 'C' undertaking.

The addendum determined permanent relocation of the raw water intake and low lift pumping station, to be the preferred alternative, which is currently in the stages of design. The recommended works include:

• New intake pipework from the Niagara River to a new on-shore low lift pumping station
• A new on-shore low lift pumping station near Sarah Street and Ives Gateway
• New raw water transmission piping from the new low lift pumping station, tunnelled under the Welland River, to the existing water treatment plant on Mechanic Street
• A new tunnel underneath the Welland River, complete with maintenance chambers

A conceptual drawing of the design is presented in the environmental assessment report. The exact location of the low lift pumping station will be finalized with Niagara Parks Commission and the City of Niagara Falls during future design stages.

The photo in the image gallery is a map of the study area for the Niagara Falls Water Treatment Plant intake relocation. It illustrates the preferred design alternative from 2019.