Balancing the Demands on Our Scarce Water Resources (Part 2 Q&A)

Alberta continues to experience rapid economic growth, particularly in the southern part of the province. The demands of that growth on the available water supply are becoming exceedingly difficult to manage. Public demands for new housing sub-divisions, commercial, agricultural and industrial development all require water. These competing demands have become even more prevalent now that most river basins in Southern Alberta are closed to the additional use of water. Yet, economic growth is dependant upon available water supplies, so balancing the demands on this resource is essential. Kathleen Murphy will discuss how we balance the demand with the available water supplies. She will discuss the tools in legislation for the movement of water within basins, including the water allocation transfer process and the South Saskatchewan River Basin Management Plan. Speaker: Kathleen Murphy P. Eng. Kathleen Murphy is the Water Approvals Team Leader for Alberta Environment in Lethbridge, Alberta. As a Professional Engineer with Alberta Environment for 25 years she leads the team that is responsible for the management of all water licenses and approvals under the Water Act in the Oldman, Milk and South Saskatchewan River Basins. Her team also manages the approvals for municipal drinking water and waste water systems for Southern Alberta under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act. Moderator: Alderman Barbara Lacey M.D. DATE: Thursday, May 29, 2008 TIME: Noon – 1:30 p.m. LOCATION: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) COST: $10.00 (includes lunch)