Sod turning for new water treatment plant at Kahkewistahaw
April 20, 2026, 12:17 pm
Nicole Taylor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Leaders, project partners and community members gathered last week for a sod-turning ceremony marking the start of construction on a new $23 million water treatment plant on Kahkewistahaw First Nation.
The project includes $20.5 million in funding from Indigenous Services Canada and a $2.5 million contribution from Kahkewistahaw First Nation, which will also support extending water lines to homes in the valley currently relying on wells and cisterns.
“There are a lot of good stories happening on Kahkewistahaw,” said Chief Evan Taypotat.
“We’re building a water treatment plant. Water is life. I’m proud to be chief of Kahkewistahaw, proud of my council for supporting this, and also proud of the people that support us as well, not only the membership, but our partners.”
Taypotat said the First Nation identified the need for upgrades in 2017 as the current plant was aging.
“For us, our First Nation, we had a water treatment plant that’s a little bit aged,” he said. “I think it was important to ensure that we have something modern, something that we can use for generations to come.”
The new facility is expected to serve the community for decades.
“We’re going to have a state-of-the-art water treatment plant for a couple generations, if not three,” Taypotat said.
Councillor Michael Bob said the project reflects a focus on long-term planning and stewardship.
“Our job is to set future generations up and future leadership up for success,” he said. “This water treatment plant that’s going behind us is doing just that.”
Bob said the First Nation already takes pride in its water system.
“Right now in Kahkewistahaw, through our water purification system, we have the best water in Canada,” he said. “This building behind us is just going to be an addition to that.”
Part of the project will expand water access to homes in the valley.
“Down the valley, we have 10 or 12 homes that are off wells and off the system,” Taypotat said. “We want to make sure that we get those homes the proper water lines as well.”
He said the First Nation’s $2.5 million contribution will fund those connections.
“The $2.5 million that the First Nation is putting in is to ensure that those homes in the valley have water lines coming from our plant,” he said.
Construction is expected to take about 18 months.
“You plan for 18 months, but as you know in Saskatchewan, the weather can be a factor,” Taypotat said. “If we’re lucky, we’ll be back here at a ribbon cutting not too long from now.”
Corex has been awarded the contract following a competitive bidding process. Regina branch manager Kyle Fairbairn said the company plans to hire locally.
“We’re the general contractor, so we are going to be boots on the ground here,” he said. “We’re definitely looking for labourers, we’re looking for skilled carpenters, and we want you to be part of the new water treatment plant that we’re going to be constructing.
“Thank you for inviting us into your community to be part of the ceremony here today, to share a meal with you,” he said. “You’re already extremely welcoming to us, and that’s very important.”
Brian Arnold of BCL Engineering said the project represents critical infrastructure for the community.
“In our minds, it’s kind of like the heartbeat of the community,” he said. “We are creating the water here, bringing it in from the well site, treating it here, and then pumping it out to the system.
“Good, clean drinking water provides so much opportunity for membership and the community to grow and prosper into the future,” he added.
Michael Propp of SAL Engineering said the project has been years in the making.
“This has been a bit of a long project,” he said. “It started way back, I think over 10 years ago now. It more so started as an urgent repair project to keep the existing water plant running until this new one could be built.
“It’s going to include a new water plant, a new well, a new well control building and generator for that as well, and that extension to the water distribution system,” Propp said.
Taypotat said the investment is part of a broader effort to support growth and self-sufficiency on the First Nation.
“Our population is on a spike. We’ve got a lot of young kids in Kindergarten to Grade 6,” he said. “Everything that we’re planning at our level is ensuring that they’re set up for success.”
He said the long-term goal is to build capacity within the community.
“At the end of the day, we want to be sovereign,” Taypotat said. “If we can self-serve in our community, whatever that may be, that’s the goal.”
The project is one of several recent developments in the community, including the reintroduction of a herd of buffalo earlier this month.
“We released our buffalo two weeks ago, 16 female buffaloes,” Taypotat said. “Every day is another step forward. Today is a really good day.” Tweet
