Special Areas Water Supply Project public consultation report released to public

Special Areas shared their report on the recent public consultation for the Special Areas Water Supply Project (SAWSP), available at www. specialareas.ab.ca. This report summarizes feedback provided during March’s consultation, including what people thought the next steps should be for the project. This feedback will be used by the Advisory Council and Board to help inform their decision on whether Special Areas should move ahead with additional investment in the project.

“We were pleased to see how engaged ratepayers and other stakeholders were during our consultation on SAWSP. From attending community information sessions to sharing their thoughts on the survey, people throughout the Special Areas provided clear feedback on what we should be doing next for SAWSP. This feedback will be critical in helping the Advisory Council and the Board make a well-informed decision that considers potential impacts to different project stakeholders.” explained Jordon Christianson, Chair.

The consultation included three community information sessions hosted throughout the region and a survey which gathered specific feedback. The survey, which was available online and at District Offices, asked for feedback on whether Special Areas should continue investing in the project. Special Areas presented the three options being considered, including shelving the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, requesting a technical review on the EIA by Alberta Environment and Parks, or pursuing a formal public interest determination from the Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB). These options had estimated costs which ranged from nothing up to $10 million dollars.

Stakeholders throughout the region shared their feedback on next steps for SAWSP, and most responses came from ratepayers residing in the Special Areas. Responses were divided between not wanting the Board to make any further investment in the project to asking for a public interest determination by the NRCB. The last option, which included requesting a formal determination by the NRCB, was estimated to cost between $2 million and $10 million dollars.

For more information on the SAWSP, or to view the report on the consultation, contact your local District Office or head to www.specialareas.ab.ca.