The City of Lethbridge has released a new plan to address urgent infrastructure upgrades at the city’s wastewater treatment facility, a project estimated to cost between $250 million and $350 million. The facility, which has not seen a major expansion since 1989, is currently operating at or above its capacity, creating potential risks for the city and surrounding communities that rely on its services.
According to the City of Lethbridge, many systems within the plant are now at or past their expected service life and are considered to be in poor or very poor condition. Joel Sanchez, the city’s Director of Infrastructure Services, noted that the facility lacks backup options if equipment fails, which creates a significant risk of service disruption for the region.
Lethbridge serves as a regional hub for water and wastewater, providing essential services to more than 133,000 people in the city and several neighbouring areas, including Lethbridge County, Coalhurst, Coaldale, Diamond City, Monarch, Picture Butte, Iron Springs, Turin, and Chin. As the city continues to grow, currently home to approximately 111,400 residents, the plant’s current design limit of 50 million litres per day has become a hurdle for supporting new residential and commercial development.
To begin addressing these concerns, the city has issued a Request for Proposals for the first phase of engineering services related to the plant’s expansion. Further discussions regarding funding options, detailed design plans, and potential impacts on utility rates are expected to take place at the Community Issues Committee meeting on May 13, 2026.
Residents have previously seen adjustments to utility costs, with water rates rising by two per cent and wastewater rates increasing by three per cent in 2024. Future financial strategies for the multi-million dollar upgrade will be reviewed as part of the 2027-2036 capital improvement workshop.
