Environment and Conservation
May 5, 2015
The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation:
Budget 2015 Further Supports the Delivery of Clean and Safe Drinking Water
Delivering clean and safe drinking water to the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador is a top priority for this government. The Department of Environment and Conservation works collaboratively with other departments, including the departments of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs, Health and Community Services, and Service NL, as well as with towns and communities, to ensure drinking water in the province is clean, safe and secure.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in this Honourable House today to discuss the most recent example of this collaborative approach to improving drinking water quality, which is the $1 million Budget 2015 investment through the Community Sustainability Partnership.
Our government recognizes that smaller municipalities in particular need help operating their drinking water systems, as well as assistance in working within new federal wastewater regulations. This Budget 2015 investment will support three regional service boards, in collaboration with the departments of Environment and Conservation, and Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs, in providing regional water and wastewater operator services to an identified group of communities.
This 3.5 year pilot project will run from October 1, 2015, to March 31, 2019. Not only will it provide much needed assistance to water system operators in the immediate term, but it will also help operators gain a stronger knowledge base and build capacity within communities for the ongoing maintenance of their systems.
To further assist communities in the area of clean and safe drinking water, we will engage a consultant to focus exclusively on solutions to reduce the number of boil water advisories. While boil water advisories are necessary to reduce the risk of water contamination and protect our residents, many can be eliminated through proper operation and maintenance of community-owned water disinfection systems. This initiative will provide guidance to help communities, particularly those with recurring, long-term boil water advisories, identify what steps are required to correct the operational issues and have their advisories lifted.
Mr. Speaker, we are confident that these initiatives will go a long way towards improving the quality of drinking water in these identified communities. They build upon a host of other supports provided by government including training, reporting and funding for capital works projects.
The Provincial Government is proud of this important Budget 2015 investment and we will continue to work with towns and communities toward the goal of ensuring the delivery of clean and safe drinking water to all residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.
2015 05 05 1:45 p.m.