The Provincial Government continues to make progress to ensure Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have access to safe, clean drinking water, and World Water Day provides the opportunity to reflect on the success of the province�s efforts which receive world-wide recognition, said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation.

"We understand that water is essential for all dimensions of life," said Minister Johnson. "That is why we are so dedicated to ensuring that the water we drink is indeed clean and safe, and that our water system operators throughout Newfoundland and Labrador have both the required knowledge and training to properly operate the drinking water systems we all depend upon."

The Provincial Government�s multi-barrier strategic action plan approach to clean and safe drinking water includes source protection, adequate and affordable water treatment, water distribution system operation and maintenance, drinking water quality monitoring and reporting, and operator education and training. Last week, approximately 300 participants from municipalities and Provincial Government departments attended the annual drinking water safety workshop in Gander.

"In observance of World Water Day, I want to highlight the fact that our unique approach to operator education and training is being recognized across North America as an effective tool for drinking water management," said Minister Johnson. "Recently, the Walkerton Clean Water Centre in Ontario adopted the mobile training unit approach based on our model and, within the past two weeks, we were approached by the State of West Virginia for information on our mobile training unit configuration, equipment, and specifications. They saw our website and were impressed with the concept."

As of April 2007, 91 per cent of the people in our province who use public water are now receiving it from a protected source. During 2006-07, an additional nine water supplies in Newfoundland and Labrador were designated as Protected Public Water Supply Areas.

World Water Day is celebrated on March 22 of each year, and the theme for 2008 is Sanitation. This year, World Water Day also coincides with the International Year of Sanitation.

The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and was first observed in 1993. Participating countries were invited to devote the day to activities focused on public awareness in terms of conservation and development of water resources throughout the world.

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Media contact:

Melony O�Neill
Director of Communications (Acting)
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575; 689-0928
moneill@gov.nl.ca

2008 03 20                                                      9:45 a.m.