The Town of Olds is encouraging residents to take part in the Province of Alberta’s public engagement survey on the proposed amendments to the water act.
According to the Town, the province’s growing population, economy, and climate variability is putting pressure on water availability, both in terms of quantity within the basins, and the availability of licenses for water use.
“A resilient and efficient water management system is essential for safeguarding the health of Alberta’s communities, environment and economy,” the Town shared in a statement.
The Town was represented at a recent meeting of the Red Deer Regional Municipal Users Group, which includes municipalities that draw from the Red Deer River – The Town of Olds’ only water source.
To address the ongoing challenges, the Government of Alberta launched a public engagement process, with the goal of gathering ideas to improve how water is managed and shared across the province.
During the first phase of engagement, feedback identified where the management system and its policies were found to be effective and should be maintained, while also highlighting areas of the Water Act that could be further refined.
Now, in phase two, the province is looking for your thoughts on some of the proposed amendments that have been made based on the feedback gathered during phase one.
The survey takes approximately 45 to 90 minutes to complete and closes on June 30th.
