Funding to ensure safe drinking water for the province

Government will spend an additional $1 million in 2001-2002 to ensure safe drinking water throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. This money will complement $10 million of the multi-year Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs Municipal Capital Works program which will help municipalities install or upgrade water disinfection systems.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to ensuring that the residents of the province have continued access to safe drinking water. This funding will enable the Departments of Environment, Municipal and Provincial Affairs, Government Services and Lands, and Health and Community Services to work together on a provincial safe drinking water initiative and to address the sampling, training and infrastructure requirements of this initiative.

In 2001-2002 the Department of Environment will spend $251,000 to hire two water quality technicians, and to increase physical and chemical sampling of provincial water systems.

"With additional technicians and increased sampling and analysis, the provincial government and municipalities will have much needed information on overall drinking water quality. This information will enable the Department of Environment to work with municipalities to identify potential problem areas and subsequent solutions," explained Ralph Wiseman, Minister of Environment.

The Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs will spend $1.5 million of the $10 million multi-year Municipal Capital Works program in 2001-2002. Municipal and Provincial Affairs Minister Oliver Langdon said that municipalities already on boil water advisories can receive 100 per cent provincial funding up to a maximum of $100,000 to install or repair municipal water disinfection systems. In addition, $200,000 has been provided to the department to hire new staff and to develop a data base which will assist the four departments in their efforts to share information on municipal water supplies.

The Department of Government Services and Lands is responsible for bacteriological sampling of public water systems, and with an allocation of $250,000 the department will be able to increase the frequency of its water sampling of municipal water systems. "I am very pleased that the department will be able to hire additional environmental health officers and to work with other departments to ensure the safety of the province�s drinking water," said Walter Noel, Minister of Government Services and Lands.

For its role in the provision of safe drinking water, the Department of Health and Community Services is allocated $392,000. Health and Community Services Minister Julie Bettney said this funding will allow the Newfoundland Public Health Laboratory to improve and expand bacteriological drinking water testing operations throughout the province. As well, the allocation will allow the department to hire two new resource personnel to provide regional program coordination and provincial health promotion related to drinking water quality.

"The provision of safe drinking water is important in the protection of public health and the prevention of disease in residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. The implementation of government's safe drinking water initiative will enhance public health protection," said Minister Bettney.

Media contact: Diane Keough, Communications, (709) 729-2575.

2001 03 22                         3:30 p.m.