Fast Facts about the City’s Water Treatment Plants
R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant
F.J. Horgan Water Treatment Plant
Opened in 1979, it is Toronto’s newest water treatment plant, providing water to customers in the east end and Region of York
Produces more than 90,000 million litres of water each year, which is 20% of Toronto’s drinking water
Can produce 800 million litres daily
Named after Frank J. Horgan, Commissioner of Works for Metro Toronto from 1980 to 1989
Expanded in 2009 to be the first and only plant that uses ozone as the primary disinfectant to control pathogens, seasonal taste and odour
Features a green roof and 10-megawatt standby power plant to meet demand in the event of a power outage
Island Water Treatment Plant
Sits on the site of the City’s first water treatment plant built in the 1900s, which is no longer in service
Current plant was built in 1977 and is located on Centre Island
Produces approximately 90,000 million litres of water annually, which is 20% of Toronto’s drinking water
Can produce 410 million litres each day
Cold, treated water passes through a heat exchanging system, which enables Enwave to cool buildings in the downtown core. Learn more about the Deep Lake Water Cooling project.
R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant
Constructed in the 1930s and opened in 1941, it is the largest water treatment plant in Toronto
Produces more than 120,000 million litres of water annually, which is 30% of Toronto’s drinking water
Can produce 950 million litres daily
Named after Roland Caldwell Harris, Commissioner of Works from 1912 to his death in 1945
Dubbed “The Palace of Purification”, it is the largest collection of Art Deco buildings in Toronto
Is a national historic civil engineering site, designated historical building and has been featured in many film, fashion and TV shoots
Has an active Public Advisory Committee that meets to discuss important community issues, such as upgrades, security and heritage conservation
