Municipal Affairs
Environment and Conservation
September 18, 2008

Communities Invited to Apply for Funding Under the
Drinking Water Safety for Small Systems Program

As part of the Drinking Water Safety Initiative announced in May 2008, communities with a public water supply and population under 500 have been invited to apply for funding for projects that will improve drinking water quality under the Drinking Water Safety for Small Systems Program.

"This phase of the program is designed to assist smaller communities provide residents with clean and safe drinking water," said the Honourable Dave Denine, Minister of Municipal Affairs. "Through Budget 2008, the Provincial Government has committed $6 million per year for the next three years for improvements to drinking water safety, and we are inviting small communities to apply to the Department of Municipal Affairs for project and funding consideration."

There are a number of treatment measures a community may take to ensure clean and safe drinking water, such as chlorination, ultraviolet disinfection, filtration, or other innovations. One innovative option is the Potable Water Dispensing Unit (PWDU). A PWDU is a small-scale water treatment unit intended for use in communities where other water treatment systems are not practical or where the construction and operation costs of full-scale water treatment would be prohibitive. PWDUs are already in use in several communities across the province, including St. Lawrence, Howley, Burnt Islands, Buchans, Ramea and Black Tickle.

Typically located in an easily-accessible public building, a PWDU allows area residents access to clean and safe drinking water for personal consumption that meets the national guidelines for drinking water quality. Communities with a PWDU must still operate their regular water supply system for other non-consumptive uses (washing, laundry, washroom, etc.) and use the PWDU as a complementary source of high-quality drinking water.

"Our government is committed to providing clean and safe drinking water for communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador," said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation. "In addition to the $6 million allocated annually for capital upgrades, an additional $2.9 million was committed in Budget 2008 to provide more extensive training to our water systems operators to complement our current efforts, and enhance the technical assistance we provide to communities as they continue to manage their systems as effectively as possible."

Projects will be funded on a priority basis with requests being reviewed against the following criteria, as established by the Department of Municipal Affairs in consultation with the Department of Environment and Conservation:

  • The community must be experiencing multiple high-risk drinking water quality issues. Please see the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (//www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/water-eau/sum_guide-res_recom/index-eng.php) for more information on what qualifies as a high-risk drinking water quality issue. This includes long-term boil water advisories.
  • The community must have the financial and technical ability to operate and maintain the chosen water system improvement.
  • In the case of a PWDU, the community has no other specific options to effectively deal with their drinking water quality issues.
  • Communities that qualify for funding consideration under this program have been sent an information package containing further information on the PWDU system as well as a financial evaluation form. Applications must be received by the Department of Municipal Affairs by September 26, 2008.

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    Media contacts:

    Jennifer Collingwood
    Director of Communications
    Department of Municipal Affairs
    709-729-1983, 690-2498
    JenniferCollingwood@gov.nl.ca
    Melony O�Neill
    Director of Communications
    Department of Environment and Conservation
    709-729-2575, 689-0928
    moneill@gov.nl.ca

    2008 09 18                                                  10:10 a.m.

     


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