With work on its master water plan continuing, the City of Armstrong is tweaking its water use and conservation bylaw.
Three readings have been given to an amended bylaw where updates have been recommended.
“Managing the supply and demand of the city’s treated, potable water is critical,” said administrator Melinda Stickney.
The city regulates use and conservation of water by bylaw for all residential, commercial and industrial customers.
“Careful management of this finite resource ensures capacity in the system to meet its current obligations,” said Stickney.
The definitions section of the bylaw has been proposed to be updated to clearly outline purpose and use associated with water purposes for domestic, commercial, outdoor and agricultural. Allowable uses have not changed.
“The focus of the utility remains that it provides treated potable water for association domestic and commercial uses,” said Stickney.
Restrictions, requirements and discontinuance of service provisions have been reworded and the offences and fine schedule is now included in the bylaw.
A special council meeting has been called for 4 p.m. today to give the fourth reading to the bylaw amendment. If it passes, the changes will be adopted.
Three readings were given unanimous approval by council.
“It’s important that we give a good overview of where we’re going with our water conservation,” said Mayor Chris Pieper of the proposed updates.
The city obtains its drinking water from Fortune Creek (95 to 98 per cent of its supply) and from two well sites. Every year, about 1.1 million cubic metres of water is treated by chlorination and UV disinfection and distributed through the city’s water plan and utility infrastructure.
Of the water distributed, more than 75 per cent is used by city customers. The remaining 25 per cent of consumption is utilized by users in the Township of Spallumcheen.
Potable water is provided to a pair of township groups: to a water service area that directly serves residences off the trunk main which runs from the water treatment plant on Powerhouse Road to the city at Rosedale Avenue East, and through bulk water sales to six township water districts (Silver Star, Stardel, Lansdowne, Highland Park, Round Prairie and Pleasant Valley).
The city can provide bulk water sales to the water districts through a bylaw.