Industry in the Region

Managing Water Consumption

There are three primary categories when measuring the health of a body of water and watershed – water quantity, water quality and biotic health.

The North Saskatchewan River has the capacity to handle today’s water demands and water shortages do not exist for the river. The focus now is on managing the demand on water for future urban and industrial growth. As for the river’s water quality, it has, in fact, improved substantially over the past 50 years.

The Water Management Framework for the Industrial Heartland and Capital Region provides over-arching principals for the management of river water from Devon to Pakan. It will enhance the existing governing system of our water source and will look to making investments at the right time to ensure that our water quantity and quality continue to meet urban and industry growth.

 

The Framework is now into its second phase – proposed for 2009 to 2012 – where it recommends the transition to a regional water supply network and emphasizes the use of recycled water. A third phase – proposed for 2012 to 2041 – focuses on longer-term sustainability of the North Saskatchewan River.

NCIA is a member of the multi-stakeholder Water Steering Committee established to guide the implementation of the Framework.

Click here for more background.