First Nations Engineering Services Ltd. designed an award-winning water treatment plant for Shoal Lake #40 First Nation. Completed in 2021, the water treatment plant was presented the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA) Project of the Year - Small Municipality or First Nation Award the following year.
The completion of the Shoal Lake 40 Water Treatment Plant marks an historic milestone for the Shoal Lake 40 First Nation community, located on the Manitoba/Ontario border on the shores of Shoal Lake. After 24 years without safe drinking water, residents can feel secure drinking a glass of water from their faucets.
Over 20 years, three separate and suitable water treatment and distribution options were considered, designed, had preliminary approvals obtained, then ultimately delayed, and refused by the Government of Canada. Eventually in 2015, following a worldwide campaign of public support, the Federal government, the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba agreed to correct the unjust isolation and suppression of this First Nation community and cost share an all-weather access road. In 2019, Freedom Road was completed, connecting Shoal Lake #40 back to the mainland and providing secure road access that enabled economical and reliable transport of supplies and equipment for the construction of the long-delayed water treatment system.
The solution combined thoughtful engineering and practical design. A new water treatment plant was constructed near an existing pumphouse, drawing water from the lake and treating it with a multi-stage system including roughing filters, ozonation, slow sand filtration, granular activated carbon, and dual disinfection. A reinforced concrete reservoir and diesel backup system added security and reliability.
The scope of the project included the following components:
- Preparatory site works
- Access road, hydro, and communication services upgrade
- Construction of the water treatment plant which utilizes a slow sand process with ozonation pre-treatment,
granular activated carbon polishing filter, and disinfection via UV light followed by chlorination - 180 metres raw water intake pipeline and structure in Shoal Lake
- Low lift station
- A water distribution system that included 4150 metres of underground watermain and 5100 metres
of marine watermain to connect the new water treatment plant to existing pumphouses - Compliance with Anishinaabe laws, ceremonies, and protocols.
- Protection of medicinal plants and sacred sites
- Operator training
FNESL provided comprehensive contract administration and field review services throughout the four-year project, overseeing construction and ensuring adherence to quality and safety standards.
Completed at a construction value of $32 million, this project delivered more than infrastructure: it brought lasting access to safe, clean drinking water for all Shoal Lake 40 residents.
Largest Contract to Mandate Use of Indigenous-owned Contractors
This was treated as a pilot project for the requirement of 51% Indigenous-owned contractors to complete the work. Through a joint venture, the local Kekekoziibii Development Corporation and Sigfusson Northern worked together to satisfy this requirement. The project also employed many skilled First Nations workers and contractors from inside and outside the Shoal Lake 40 community.
Project Highlights
- Client: Shoal Lake 40 First Nation
- Year Awarded: 2019
- Services Provided: Engineering Design and Contract Administration
- Project Scope: Design and construction of a new surface water treatment system including intake works, treatment facilities, storage, and distribution infrastructure
- Treatment Process: Slow Sand Filtration Water Treatment Plant
- Distribution Infrastructure: Approximately 4,500 m of new watermain to improve service coverage and fire protection
- Project Partners: Associated Engineering, WSP Inc., Baird
- Contractor: Shoal Lake 40 Contractors Inc. in joint venture with Sigfusson Northern.
