The City of Yellowknife owns and operates its own utility. The City receives all of its potable water from the Yellowknife River. Pumphouse No. 2, located at the Yellowknife River just upstream of the bridge, delivers water to Pumphouse No. 1 via a 400 mm welded steel submersible pipeline below Yellowknife Bay. The water is treated (chlorine gas disinfection and fluoridation since 1990) at Pumphouse No. 1, stored in the 9.0 million litre water reservoir, heated in the winter time, and then distributed throughout the City of Yellowknife via 62 kilometres water pipes.
Pumphouse No. 1 also has the ability to draw water from Yellowknife Bay in an emergency. Two other pumphouses and reservoirs as well as two recirculation stations assist in moving the water to the consumers and maintaining constant circulation. Pumphouse No. 1, staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is also the central control, through a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system and PLCs (programmable local controls), of all pumphouses and lift stations. It also provides radio/phone dispatch services for fire, ambulance, municipal enforcement and Public Works. All facilities have diesel generators and/or diesel pumps as backup.
Keep Your Water Tank Clean
Help to ensure water quality in your home. View this helpful how to clean your water tank video created by Government of Northwest Territories Department of Health & Social Services.