The North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance (NSWA) is asking for support from the city for the 2018 year through a membership fee of $0.50 per capita.
Their goal is to improve water quality and quantity, as well as conduct research to protect the river. Mayor Gerald Aalbers believes that it plays a part in our water quality, but ultimately it is a cost issue.
“It is our source of drinking water from the North Saskatchewan River, we certainly have an interest in it. As well as we discharge our treated water from the wastewater treatment facility back into the North Saskatchewan River.”
Currently, the city is discussing delivery methods to build a new Wastewater Treatment Facility. The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency and Environment Canada have both set a deadline to meet regulations by December 31, 2020.
Joining the NSWA may or may not be helpful with the current negotiations of the Wastewater Treatment Facility according to Aalbers. However, Councilor Jonathan Torresan believes that it would be hypocritical to participate in the NSWA as current projects to improve water quality for the city have not been met.
“As it stands right now we’re not able to treat all of the items in the Sask. Water Security Agency’s list of things we ought to treat, which is why we need a new wastewater treatment plant and therefore by those standards we are polluting the North Saskatchewan River.”
13 rural and 25 urban municipalities provided financial support to the NSWA in 2017.