By Jordan Bay

City commits to water quality protection charter

Feb 5, 2019 | 3:25 PM

Red Deer city council has decided to continue to work with the Red Deer River Municipal Users Group, (RDRMUG) to ensure the protection of the Red Deer River.  

The City of Red Deer has been a member of group since 2005.

Last September the group distributed a charter for all of its members to sign, and Monday night city council voted to adopt it.

Council also agreed to endorse and support the main goals of the Government of Alberta’s renewed Water for Life Strategy, which include: safe, secure, drinking water, healthy aquatic eco-systems, reliable quality water supplies for a sustainable economy, and continuing to implement initiatives that protect source quality water in the Red Deer Watershed.

Kelly Kloss, Director of Development Services for The City of Red Deer, clarified what the RDRMUG was hoping to accomplish when they first started this initiative.

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“What the municipal users group was looking to do was if you did not have some priorities establishes, is to take some time and think about it and establish some priorities and when you give a deadline it really does help set a timeline to help make it happen”

He explains why it took Red Deer so long to sign the charter.

“We’ve set priorities, we’ve set actions that we wanted to take, and so there a continuation. Another thing about setting priorities is that we have to make sure council is on board, and they have their approval because often there is budget implications, so that’s why the city does not need to have a deadline at this time.”

Michael Dawe, city council’s representative on the group, was happy with council’s decision to adopt the charter.

“The water charter which we adopted tonight is a statement of principles. In the case of Red Deer, it’s also a confirmation of a number of plans, current and future that we’re undertaking, ensure the health and long term accessibility of water for the City of Red Deer. The overall purpose of the charter is to raise awareness of the importance of the river, and water supply to our communities.”