North Battleford’s Planning Committee has voted in favor of a recommendation from administration to set up a waterworks committee.
The committee is being set up on the insistence of the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, who want to ensure council is kept informed of integrity of the city’s water supply.
A waterworks committee was one of the recommendations in the "Report to the Commission of Inquiry into matters relating to the safety of the public drinking water in the City of North Battleford, Saskatchewan, March 28, 2002," recommendations 5 to 8. According to Director of Operations Stewart Schafer, the agency is “insisting that we bring our committee back.”
The reason, Schafer said, is there are “numerous projects on the go and we may be missing some of you on some key points.” They also want operators to attend so if they have any concerns they can take them directly to council.
Schafer envisions the waterworks committee meeting once a month over the noon hour which would include a council representative as well as the environmental manager, environmental technician, foreman of the water treatment plant, foreman of the water distribution system and perhaps one or two operators.
The intention is also for regular reports to come directly to council as well. The idea, City Manager Jim Puffalt indicated, is simply to ensure council is brought “up to speed” on what’s going on.
“It’s not that we feel there are major issues,” said Puffalt. Rather, it’s “more of a transparency item.”
The recommendation to set up the waterworks committee received unanimous approval at Planning Committee. It now goes to council for final approval at their next meeting on Monday.
