The Province of Manitoba is investing $24 million into municipal water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades, a move that promises long-term environmental protection, improved public health, and enhanced economic opportunities across rural Manitoba.
Among the recipients is the Altona Rural Water Services Co-op, a grassroots initiative that began in 1985 when a group of farmers grew weary of hauling water and banded together to form a co-operative. Today, the co-op provides potable water to approximately 1,500 people across multiple rural communities including Altbergthal, New Hope, Thames, Horndean, Plum Coulee, and Rosenfeld.
With demand on the rise, the co-op is planning a major expansion of its reservoir capacity near the Altona lift station on 14th Ave.
“We’re looking at tripling the capacity from what we have now,” said Ronn Smith, co-op board president. “We currently have a 40,000-gallon reservoir—so we’re in the ballpark of half a million liters. When the project’s complete, we’re aiming for two million liters of distribution capacity at that site.”
Smith explained that the need stems from both increased residential usage and expanded agricultural demands.
“There’s a combination of more hookups and some livestock operations on our system as well. Water consumption overall has just gone up over time.”
Smith noted that June in particular poses challenges for the entire system.
“On peak consumption days, we were using up to twice our storage capacity. If the Pembina Valley Water Co-op ever had an outage, the expanded reservoir would provide us with backup for a few hours. It’s all about resilience.”
The reservoir serves a blend of residential, agricultural, and commercial users. Smith estimates about 60 per cent of the water usage is residential, with the remaining 40 per cent supporting ag and commercial operations.
The estimated cost of the reservoir expansion is $2.5 million.
“We’ve applied for an additional $1.5 million through the Manitoba Water Stewardship program, which can cover up to 50 per cent of the cost,” said Smith. “We also have some reserve funding to help make up the difference if needed.”
Meanwhile, the Town of Altona has also been approved for funding to support a long-awaited upgrade to its wastewater system—a new sewer forcemain that would relieve pressure on the town’s aging infrastructure.
“We’re looking at a project to run a direct forcemain from Lift Station 3 to our lagoon,” said Mayor Harv Schroeder. “Right now, everything runs through town to Lift Station 1, creating a bottleneck. During heavy rains or high flow, the system gets overwhelmed.”
Lift Station 3, located near W.C. Miller Collegiate, currently sends waste to Lift Station 1, alongside Lift Station 2 near Elmwood School. When volumes spike, this creates a major pinch point.
“This new direct line from Lift Station 3 to the lagoon would help ease the strain and give us the capacity to expand southward in the future,” Schroeder explained. “All of the lift stations except Lift Station 1 have been replaced in the last five to six years, so this would build on the upgrades we’ve already made.”
The estimated price tag for the project is around $2 million. While specific funding amounts have not yet been disclosed, Schroeder said the town was pleased to be selected.
“We haven’t been given the numbers yet from the province, but we’re hopeful. It’s not part of this year’s municipal budget but could be in next year’s depending on their timeline. Sometimes these funding models give you a few years to get the work done.”.
Schroeder emphasized how valuable provincial support is for communities like Altona.
“It’s very good news. For this kind of infrastructure to come entirely out of local coffers would be a big price tag. So, it’s reassuring to know that help is coming.”
For Altona and its surrounding communities, the funding couldn’t come at a better time. With population growth, increased agricultural demands, and climate-related pressures all converging, both the town and the rural water co-op are preparing to meet the future with stronger, more resilient infrastructure.
As Schroeder put it, “These are the kinds of surprises we like—good surprises that help us build a stronger community.”
