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Province taking steps to ensure safe water supply 1. Editor, On April 5, in North Battleford, I announced the provincial government's response to commissioner Robert Laing's report on the North Battleford Water Inquiry. Safe drinking water is a priority issue for all Saskatchewan residents and for our provincial government. I am writing to ensure your readers are aware of our government's response to Mr. Laing's report. Our government has accepted and will act on all of Mr. Laing's recommendations directed to the province. We have announced a comprehensive safe drinking water strategy for the province. The strategy is based on action in three related areas: protection of our source water supplies through a new Saskatchewan Watershed Authority which will combine responsibilities for three existing organizations; increased regulatory requirements for operation of drinking water treatment plants and a streamlined system for delivering this regulatory work - changes include increased inspections for water and sewage plants, additional training requirements for plant operators, independent assessments of waterworks every five years, mandatory annual reporting of waterworks performance to customers and a new water information system to allow public Internet access to water test results; and assistance for municipalities to develop municipal infrastructure related to water services. There are three aspects to this support for municipal infrastructure. First, Sask Water will work in partnership with municipalities to assess their drinking water needs and to determine the best and lowest cost alternatives for each centre. More than 50 communities are already working with Sask Water to create custom-made and affordable solutions. Sask Water will continue to work with municipalities (individually and regionally) to provide these services on a commercial basis in co-operation with private-sector firms. This approach ensures communities are aware of the latest technological advances and options for meeting their particular needs. Second, where municipal infrastructure projects are necessary and where municipalities do not have capital reserves to fully finance such investments, the provincial Municipal Financing Corporation is available to provide financing - up to 100 per cent for water and sewer projects. Amortization of capital projects over part of the infrastructure lifespan is a common means of funding municipal facilities and a traditional responsibility of municipal governments. The third support for communities is the Canada-Saskatchewan Infrastructure Program. Saskatchewan has worked with the federal government to establish criteria that targets considerable CSIP funding towards the priority of safe water. As a results, all 23 communities that had boil-water orders and applied last year for CSIP assistance were approved for funding as part of the $30 million allocated to projects in 2001-02. The federal and provincial governments will be announcing additional CSIP funding for Saskatchewan communities in 2002-03. As I have stated publicly, to ensure safe water for our residents, some communities will inevitably have to increase charges to meet operation and capital amortization costs. Currently, more than 200 communities charge households, on average, less than $20 per month for water services; 130 of these charge $10 or less. Some of these communities, where improved systems are required, will no doubt face costs closer to the provincial average. For Saskatchewan cities, the current average monthly water charge is about $40 with some residents paying well above this amount. With respect to regulation, the province needs to ensure municipalities and their system operators closely monitor their water operations. Public safety is paramount and must be emphasized. However, provincial government personnel will work closely with communities to address any problems that might arise. Legal charges would only be a measure of last resort. It would take a reckless or malicious act or repeated non-compliance by a municipality before legal action would be considered. I encourage community leaders and plant operators to place a high priority on having all the required drinking water testing done on a regular basis. This testing is an essential part of drinking water safety and diligence is our greatest asset in ensuring public health. As Saskatchewan residents, we all have a part in working together to achieve safe drinking water. Buckley Belanger, |