EDMONTON -The province is calling on all Albertans -- including individuals, industry and communities -- to act immediately to conserve water and use it more efficiently as part of a provincial plan to protect the quality and sustain the quantity of Alberta's water supply.

In releasing Water for Life: Alberta's Strategy for Sustainability, Environment Minister Lorne Taylor said all Albertans have to stop taking water for granted, and start treating it as the valuable resource it is for our communities, our environment and our economy.

"Water is a shared resource - our lives literally depend on it in every way, and therefore we all have to take responsibility for protecting and preserving it," said Taylor.

The most comprehensive strategy of its kind in Canada, Water for Life is based on over 18 months of consultations and discussions with Albertans and water experts. The plan outlines a series of short-, medium- and long-term actions - worth an estimated $916 million -- over the next 10 years aimed at ensuring Albertans have safe, secure drinking water, healthy aquatic ecosystems, and a reliable water supply to support provincial economic development.

As part of the province's call to action to all Albertans to conserve water, the province announced it is establishing a Provincial Advisory Council on Water, along with a series of local watershed management and stewardship groups, to give Albertans a stronger voice in setting direction for and protecting their specific watershed.

"The people who are immediately affected by specific water issues are the best people to help find and implement solutions to address them," said Taylor. "And because each watershed is different in terms of both water supply and water needs, a watershed approach allows us to focus on a geographic region, and at the same time help to ensure people take more ownership and more direct responsibility for the safety and security of their local water supply."

In addition to stressing water conservation and broader community watershed management, Water for Life also outlines increased actions and investments in the area of knowledge and research.

"In order to make the best decisions on water, we need to have a better understanding of Alberta's water resources," said Taylor. "This includes getting a complete picture of our groundwater resources, as well as continuously improving our understanding of what affects the quality of our water supply, and how we can improve the productivity and practices in how we use and re-use water."

The province is already taking action in a number of areas, including a complete review and assessment of all drinking water treatment facilities in the province to serve as a basis for future decisions on drinking water standards and infrastructure, and working with a multi-stakeholder groups to develop recommendations on policy and practice for uses of water that remove it from the "active" water cycle (i.e. deep well injection practices).

The Water for Life strategy, and background information on some of the core areas of actions is available on-line at www.waterforlife.gov.ab.ca.

Contact:

Val Mellesmoen
Communications
Alberta Environment
(780) 427-6267