WHEREAS provincial funding for water and wastewater systems have traditionally been pooled or combined with no limitations on the apportionment of funding to water and wastewater projects; and WHEREAS wastewater is primarily an environmental responsibility related to urban municipality infrastructure needs; and WHEREAS the economic viability of rural municipalities is dependent upon the supply of potable water, it would be reasonable to separate these areas when considering funding allotment, in order to ensure a just and impartial share of the infrastructure funding;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Alberta to consider creating separate funding categories for water and wastewater projects.

As there are several funding pools for provincial water and wastewater allotment, with existing funding programs subject to change, as well as the implementation of new programs, a breakdown of actual allotment could not be obtained.The Alberta 2007 Budget, three (3) year Capital Plan is to invest $679 million in water management. This includes:- $170 million for regional water projects;- $148 million in other grants to municipalities under the province's Water for Life Program;- $100 million to municipalities through the new Municipal Sustainability Initiative;- $103 million to complete water treatment plant and wastewater facilities in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo;- $53 million for irrigation rehabilitation; and- $105 million for government dams, canals, erosion-control infrastructure and other support.Due to the escalating costs of water project infrastructure, and in order for municipalities to begin, continue or complete major water pipeline systems it is imperative that reasonable funding be available. Therefore, we consider it paramount that water system projects be given separate priority funding from wastewater.

Resolution ER2-06S:THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties request that Alberta Environment undertake groundwater resource mapping for all of Alberta, and not only concentrate on central Alberta.Resolution 8-07S:THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties request that the Government of Alberta change the procedure on access to potable water and wastewater treatment systems so that all municipalities have equal access to this provincial resource through their closest treatment facility within the same sub-basin.Resolution 17-05F:THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties request the Government of Alberta review the AMWWP eligibility criteria to include Business-Industrial Parks and country residential developments.

The Government of Alberta responded to this resolution by noting that if the program were split, projects in one category could get funded at the expense of a higher priority project in the other category. The AAMDC finds that this response does not address the intent of this resolution. The Association will continue to include this issue in the formal ministerial meeting submissions for Alberta Environment and Alberta Transportation.