a child drinking water from a glass with text saying "clean" "safe" "sustainable"

Clean Sustainable and Safe

The City of Selkirk’s Public Water System provides potable drinking water to approximately 10,504 residents, according to the 2021 census.  Staff at Selkirk’s Water Treatment Plant take great pride in ensuring the city’s water meets and exceeds all health and aesthetic objectives, which are regulated by the Province of Manitoba.

Forward Thinking

Forward thinking, demand management and asset management strategies have the city prepared with a stable supply of water for today and tomorrow.

The city’s Strategic Plan, Priority 3 – Safe and Sustainable Infrastructure, calls for the city to have a reliable water source.

The forward thinking began in 2011 when the city expanded its water treatment plant. In 2016 Selkirk partnered with the Manitoba Water Services Board (MWSB) on an investment of $2.5 million and drilled two supplemental wells in the RM of St. Andrews to complement the four wells in Selkirk that were already serving the city. An 11 km pipeline was built – Selkirk’s version of the Winnipeg –Shoal Lake aqueduct – and carries the water to Selkirk.

Our clean, sustainable, safe and award-winning water is plentiful and that should give residents connected to the city’s water service a significant level of comfort.

City of Selkirk Employee conducting water sample testing

Award Winning

The city was recognized for its water at the 2018 Western Canada Water Conference where it earned second place behind the City of Edmonton as seen in this story on MySelkirk.ca. There were 11 competitors and Selkirk’s submission came straight out of the tap.

Employees at the Water Treatment Plant take great pride in their work, and they too have been recognized countless times. In fact, there’s a Wall of Fame inside the plant where the awards operators have received over the years are placed.  

We are proud to honour present and past operators for providing us with clean, safe and sustainable precious resource. 

water tower aerial selkirk manitoba

Bulk Water

The City of Selkirk sells portable bulk water to commercial and residential customers.

The bulk water station is located at the Water Tower at the corner of Jemima Street and McLean Avenue. Customers are required to contact the Water Treatment Plant operators at (204) 785-4940 or (204) 785-3943 to access to the bulk water station.

Bulk water rates are set by the Public Utilities Board (PUB).  Current rates are $2.98 per cubic meter.  In addition a $20.00 service charge PER FILL to a maximum of $60.00 per day will be charged.

person filling a glass of water at a faucet with text "clean" "safe" "sustainable"

Water Conservation

Environmental stewardship is one of the City of Selkirk’s priorities in its Strategic Plan. We encourage all citizens to conserve water. Here are some tips to help you conserve and save some money on your water bills at the same time.

  • Consider a low-flush or dual flush toilet, which can save 40% of the water used per flush.
  • Use less water in the tub or take shorter showers.
  • Install water efficient showerheads.
  • When shaving, or brushing your teeth, don’t leave the water running.
  • Watering lawns/gardens at night decreases evaporation.
  • Wash only full loads of laundry.
  • Buy dishwashers or clothing washers that conserve water use.
  • Check every faucet. A slow drip can waste 70 to 90 litres per day – that’s about 30,000 litres per year.

For more information on water conservation, click Canadian Water and Wastewater Association

Water Quality Testing

Selkirk’s water source and water main lines do not contain lead, however some homes built prior to 1950 may have lead service lines. 

The City of Selkirk provides free water quality testing to citizens who have lead service lines. 

Learn about lead testing and control here:

Water quality testing

Reporting

Every year, the City of Selkirk is required by law to submit a report to the Province that details our water treatment process, certification of operators and any major disruptions to the system.  To view the most recent Public Water System Annual Report, paper copies are available online Public Water System Annual Report 2023 or by reaching out through CitizenSupport.

You can contact CitizenSupport via email, phone at 204-785-4900, or in-person at the Civic Office at 200 Eaton Avenue between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday (closed holidays).

Water Emergencies

Weekends or after 4:30 p.m. Emergency Line – (204) 785-4900 and press option 2.

If your call is not immediately answered, please leave a message and you will receive a call back promptly.

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