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Caption: Work on Winnipeg's new $300 million water-treatment plant began in 2005. (City of Winnipeg)

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The water coming out of the taps in Winnipeg should smell and taste a lot better.

That's the promise from the city's water system officials as water started flowing Wednesday through the city's new, $300 million water treatment plant.

The facility, just east of the city at the Deacon Reservoir in the aptly named Rural Municipality of Springfield, is one of the largest infrastructure projects undertaken by the city's Water and Waste Department in decades.

In the past, algae growth has fostered complaints about the bad taste and smell of drinking water in Winnipeg.

Tom Pearson, the project's director, says they may have to shut the plant down for brief periods over the next few weeks to fine-tune some of the processes.

But he says the quality of drinking water will remain high during those periods.

The plant will officially open in early 2010.

Work began on the project in early 2005.