Steinbach's most expensive infrastructure project in history is nearing completion. A secondary water treatment plant has been built at the intersection of Park Road and Keating Road, in the northwest corner of the city. The $11.3 million project began in early March of 2018. Head city engineer Phil Kalyta says it is getting close to being finished.

"The plant is in the final stages right now, the building is basically up and constructed, the last of the mechanical and electrical and process facilities are being installed and tested. So it is in the final stages of construction, proceeding to testing and commissioning and we expect everything will be 100% operating and on line in the middle of July."

Kalyta says residents won't likely notice any difference in the water when the new plant comes on line because it is coming from the same aquifer as primary water plant. He notes the new plant will not operate at full capacity at the outset.

"We're going to start the plant out slow. We're developing a new area we are pulling water from in the aquifer so we want to make sure we are gentle on the aquifer. So we're going to start off at a slow rate, probably 300,000 gallons per day."

Kalyta says one big difference with this additional water source is that the city will no longer have to ration water during prolonged dry spells. He notes the secondary water treatment plant will boost the city's capacity from two million gallons per day to between three and five million gallons per day.

City council decided to have the plant built now because the city was approaching capacity use of its water system and could have faced shortages within two or three years without the additional capacity.