File photo (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

Water Treatment Plant

City says millions in upgrades at Kamloops water quality facility needed to ensure stable water supply

Aug 15, 2025 | 3:01 PM

KAMLOOPS — Earlier this week, Kamloops city council moved forward with alternative approval processes (AAP) for four major infrastructure projects in the city.

One of the projects is for upgrades at the Kamloops Water Quality Plant and it totals just shy of $12 million. The city says the investment is needed at the plant, as major parts of the intake are beginning to age out.

“We have step screens, and fish screens, and a bunch of infrastructure at the actual intake that needs to be replaced,” said Greg Wightman, the city’s Utility and Environmental Services Manager.

“It’s at end of life and there is no more replacement for it anymore. A big portion of that cost is just ordering the materials and it’s specialized stuff obviously, there is not a lot of people that are using things like this. So that is what we are trying to there is again get ahead of an issue that could affect our water supply.”

While the public will soon get an opportunity to vote on whether to approve the long-term borrowing of the money to complete the project, Wightman says the importance of ensuring the plant remains operational can not be understated.

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“It’s more severe than boil water, it’s actually impacting our ability to pull water out of the river, so it’s actual water supply not necessarily quality,” added Wightman. “Obviously that would be a drastic situation in this city and would impact everything from fire protection to drinking water, it would be massive impact.”

“We have recognized a potential vulnerability and trying to get ahead of that.”