Improvements required to drinking water systems in Saskatchewan could cost as much as $300 million, according to a report released last week.
Sask Water commissioned a study of its water treatment infrastructure after the outbreak of E. coli in Walkerton, Ont., last year.
“Based on an assessment of a sample of 64 representative communities, it is estimated that over 90 percent of all communities with a population under 1,000 require upgrades to their infrastructure and quality management to meet health-related drinking water objectives,” the report said.
Per capita costs to upgrade these systems range from $600 to $2,800, depending on the size of the community and the water source.
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The costs could be higher if more stringent standards are put in place.
“We don’t yet know what the total cost or the most appropriate solutions will be,” Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association director Fred Clipsham said when he called for financial help for the more than 450 communities that need upgrades.
“But it is clear that local, provincial and federal governments must share the responsibility.”
Most municipal water systems in the province are owned and operated by the communities they serve.
The study used samples from 64 communities to represent a cross-section of the 513 municipal drinking water systems in Saskatchewan.
Sask Water minister Ron Osika said smaller communities obviously face the most significant challenges. However, the report notes that Estevan, Weyburn, Swift Current and North Battleford also need upgrades.
The corporation will meet with communities to determine the best way to make improvements.
“Quality drinking water is a priority for our government,” Osika said.
The study did not include about 1,500 small public water systems such as those found at gas stations, or the approximately 150,000 people who rely on private systems on their farms or acreages.
