By Kevin Gilby
CRAIK—After five years of having to boil water, Craik will soon have drinkable water again.
Randy Schatz, president of Regina based company Element Water Systems, presented the community with a solution to their long-standing water problems.
Under the proposal, the community will install four oxygen-based ozone generators in the water treatment plant and source a different water supply. The town will begin testing for well sites near the Craik Regional Park as soon as possible.
Part of the work will include the addition of flow meters and valves to the existing water treatment plant. By monitoring the draw on the tanks, the town will be able to efficiently identify which tanks need backwashing and have early warning of other possible maintenance issues.
Schatz received approval from Water Security Agency inspector Roger Miller before presenting his findings to the town.
The town has begun investigating grants to help fund the installation of the ozone generators and drilling of an additional well.
Ozone generators, used to disinfect water and provide taste/odour control, also provide colour removal, and manganese oxidation. The compound has been used for these purposes for over 100 years.
“It is exciting to have news that the town will have drinkable water again,” said Mayor Rick Rogers.
He said that winter does not present a barrier to the start of work. Completion of the project will take between one and two years.