SaskWater Provides Reliable Service And Delivers On Projects During Pandemic

SaskWater’s 2020-21 Annual Report highlights a number of bright spots for the Crown corporation in a year marked by significant challenges.

Despite the complexities of staff working remotely and the adjustments needed to ensure safe working conditions for essential workers, SaskWater customers did not experience service interruptions attributed to the pandemic.

“The past year has pushed SaskWater to adapt and innovate, but it never faltered in its commitment to deliver safe, reliable water and wastewater services across Saskatchewan,” Minister responsible for SaskWater Don Morgan said. “In addition, its successful capital projects ensured continued growth and development in our province at a time when it was crucial to our economy.”

The corporation’s earnings of $7.9 million in 2020-21 will allow SaskWater to continue its support of a stronger Saskatchewan with a dividend payment of $6.26 million to the province.

In 2020-21, SaskWater advanced infrastructure projects that provided much-needed investment dollars and increased the potential for growth and opportunity in various Saskatchewan communities. Major projects included a $9.4 million expansion and upgrade of SaskWater’s regional water treatment plant in Melfort and the $3.4 million expansion of the Pierceland wastewater lagoon, both partially funded by the New Building Canada Fund (NBCF).

SaskWater initiatives will continue to bolster Saskatchewan growth and recovery efforts. In 2020-21, the Crown corporation secured partial funding from the Investing in Canada Plan for a new potable water pipeline for the Village of Edenwold and the replacement of a pipeline segment on its Saskatoon East Potable Water Supply System. Construction of the Edenwold pipeline is underway while the Saskatoon East pipeline replacement is scheduled to begin this summer. SaskWater also signed an agreement with the City of Lloydminster to supply potable water to its upcoming Prairie North Regional Potable Water Supply System, approved for funding through the NBCF.

“Through the pursuit of federal and provincial infrastructure funding and an emphasis on regional service, we are striving to keep customer rates affordable while investing in utility infrastructure,” SaskWater President Doug Matthies said. “This strategy aligns nicely with the goals the Province has laid out in Saskatchewan’s new growth plan.”

SaskWater currently owns 10 water treatment plants, three wastewater facilities, 140 kilometres of canal and 942 kilometres of pipeline.

SaskWater's annual report is available online at www.saskwater.com.

 Backgrounder

• The Saskatchewan Water Corporation (SaskWater) is Saskatchewan’s commercial Crown water utility, helping communities, First Nations and industry gain access to safe, reliable and sustainable water and wastewater services.

• SaskWater provides professional water and wastewater services to 68 communities, 10 rural municipalities, 79 rural pipeline groups, 15 industrial and 243 commercial and domestic end user customers. SaskWater’s services directly and indirectly reach approximately 108,000 people in Saskatchewan.

• The corporation owns 10 water treatment plants, three wastewater facilities, 15 kilometres of wastewater forecemain, 140 kilometres of canal, and 942 kilometres of potable and non-potable pipeline. SaskWater also owns or leases 43 booster and pump stations.

• SaskWater’s core lines of business are potable water supply, non-potable water supply, wastewater treatment and management, certified operation and maintenance, project management, water and wastewater training for First Nations communities, remote monitoring, and leak detection audits.

• In 2020-21, SaskWater:
• Delivered 8.3 billion litres of high quality drinking water
• Delivered 34.8 billion litres of non-potable water
• Received and treated 1.1 billion litres of wastewater

• Partnering with TransGas (a subsidiary of SaskEnergy), SaskWater uses a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to remotely monitor 58 SaskWater and customer owned facilities across the province 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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For more information, contact:          

Suzanne Boyer

Senior Corporate Communications Consultant

SaskWater

Moose Jaw

Cell: 306-690-8790

Email: suzanne.boyer@saskwater.com

www.saskwater.com