Ottawa has officially designated the Lemieux Island Water Purification Plant near Parliament Hill as a heritage property due its striking architectural features and an industrial cultural heritage landscape that tells the story of water supply and treatment along the Ottawa river.
Opened in 1932, the plant was Ottawa’s first water treatment facility, representing a major technological advancement by providing residents with clean drinking water. Its construction was a critical development in response to typhoid outbreaks in 1911-1912, caused by pollution in the Ottawa River.
The Lemieux Island facility was initially capable of treating 35 million gallons of water daily, with future expansion plans allowing for up to 84 million gallons.
The site, to be designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, comprises several historic buildings, including the pumping station, constructed between 1915 and 1917 in a vernacular Romanesque style with Classical Revival influences, according to an Ottawa Heritage Planning report. The chemical and filter buildings, both completed in 1932, showcase the Art Deco style, featuring ornate design elements such as decorative motifs, geometric patterns, and marble interiors. The walls in the entrance hall and main stairway of the filter building were constructed with Hauteville marble with cobwebbed veined black and gold trim. It also features a marble double return stairway, brass railings and marble paneling.
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The building also has a small water feature (now hidden from view) which once featured flowing samples of untreated river water and treated water as a demonstration of the plant’s abilities.
The Lemieux plant is a notable work of the engineering firm Gore, Nasmith, and Storrie, which also designed several other major Canadian water treatment plants during the late 1920s and 1930s, including the Hamilton Water Filtration Plant (1933), the Glenmore Filtration Plant (Calgary, 1930-1933), and the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant (Toronto, 1932-1941).
The construction of the High Lift Pumping Station (1915-1917) nearby on the Ottawa site was also supervised by. J.B. McRae, Consulting Engineer and W.E MacDonald, the City’s Water Works Engineer.
Additionally, attention is also being given to the nearby Hintonburg Pumphouse, which the Lemieux Island facility replaced. Built in 1899 and designated as a heritage property in 1987, the pumphouse is now set to be transformed into a public park following a fire that destroyed much of the site in 1989.
The Lemieux Island Water Purification Plant is an active water treatment facility located on a large property with additional buildings, accessory structures, operational infrastructure, and mechanical equipment related to its function. The newer buildings, additions and operational infrastructure do not contribute to the cultural heritage value of the plant.
This heritage designation ensures that the Lemieux Island Water Purification Plant’s legacy as a landmark of engineering and public infrastructure in Ottawa will be preserved for future generations.
