Local municipalities challenged to sign water quality protection charter

“There is always extra awareness and education that needs to be done. The Red Deer River Basin is a very unique and very vulnerable basin. It’s up to all of us to do what we can to protect it.”

Ryder also praises The City of Red Deer for being a leader in the area of water protection and conservation.

The City’s representative on the Red Deer River Municipal Users Group is councillor Michael Dawe who says it’s key to be looking 30, 40 or even 50 years down the road.

“The Red Deer River basin is one of the last that still has allocable water. Everything south of us is fully allocated, so if you went in for a license, you’d have to barter with somebody else who has one to get water out of it,” Dawe explains.

“We have to be very cautious. It’s not only a good environmental argument, it’s a good business argument because you can’t have sustainable development of any kind if you run short of water.”

Dawe, who also sits on the board of the RDRMUG, as well as the board of the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance, says he hopes to bring the charter forward for council debate in the very near future.

The charter cites a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly which states that it, “recognizes the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights.”

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Local municipalities challenged to sign water quality protection charter

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