WATER: WATER: Alberta’s Next Big Economic and Social Challenge P. Kim Sturgess, P.Eng. FCAE APEGGA Practice Development Day April 17, 2008.

WATER:WATER:Alberta’s Next Big Economic and Social Challenge

P. Kim Sturgess, P.Eng. FCAE

APEGGA Practice Development Day APEGGA Practice Development Day

April 17, 2008April 17, 2008

Water is Personal …

“Whiskey is for Drinking… Water is for Fighting Over.” Mark Twain

Public perception of Canadian water quality, security and safety has changed – Walkerton, Kashechewan, N. Battleford

Is Our Water Safe?

AENV Assessment of 534 Water Treatment Plants

NOTES: Reviews completed in 2003 and 2004 Poor Ranking is 4 or 5 out of 5, as the lowest rankingExcluding Calgary and Edmonton, average plant serves 700 families!

This map is intended to flag areaswhere water supply may be of concern

Areas naturally water short (less than 5 mm/year runoff)

Development pressures

(closed or potentially closed to new licences)

Potentially water short areas (brown, tan)

Water Short Areas

source: Alberta Environment

Agriculture and Irrigation use 46% of our water allocations

Water Usage in Alberta

Commercial users, primarily cooling, use 31% of water allocations

Water Usage in Alberta

Municipal use at your home is 11% of water allocations

Water Usage in Alberta

Oil and Gas uses 7% of water allocations

Water Usage in Alberta

Recreation, habitat and all other uses account for the remaining 5%

Water Usage in Alberta

Why Water is Important to Alberta

““In the future, Water will be more In the future, Water will be more important to Albertans important to Albertans

than oil and gas”than oil and gas”

Peter LougheedPeter Lougheed

““In the future, Water will be more In the future, Water will be more important to Albertans important to Albertans

than oil and gas”than oil and gas”

Peter LougheedPeter Lougheed

““Population growth, droughts, Population growth, droughts, agricultural and industrial agricultural and industrial

development are increasing demand development are increasing demand and pressure on Alberta’s and pressure on Alberta’s

water supplieswater supplies””

Alberta Water for Life StrategyAlberta Water for Life Strategy

““Population growth, droughts, Population growth, droughts, agricultural and industrial agricultural and industrial

development are increasing demand development are increasing demand and pressure on Alberta’s and pressure on Alberta’s

water supplieswater supplies””

Alberta Water for Life StrategyAlberta Water for Life Strategy

““Water is not a renewable resource. Water is not a renewable resource. It only seems renewable because It only seems renewable because

it keeps falling from the sky”it keeps falling from the sky”

Marq de VilliersMarq de Villiers

““Water is not a renewable resource. Water is not a renewable resource. It only seems renewable because It only seems renewable because

it keeps falling from the sky”it keeps falling from the sky”

Marq de VilliersMarq de Villiers

““In 54 communities the number In 54 communities the number one issue is WATER …With it, one issue is WATER …With it,

our prosperity is assured; our prosperity is assured; without it, nothing is”without it, nothing is”

Doug Griffiths MLADoug Griffiths MLAChair, Task Force on Sustainable CommunitiesChair, Task Force on Sustainable Communities

““In 54 communities the number In 54 communities the number one issue is WATER …With it, one issue is WATER …With it,

our prosperity is assured; our prosperity is assured; without it, nothing is”without it, nothing is”

Doug Griffiths MLADoug Griffiths MLAChair, Task Force on Sustainable CommunitiesChair, Task Force on Sustainable Communities

Water for Life: Alberta Government’s response to develop a new water management approach and outline strategies & actions for implementation

www.waterforlife.gov.ab.ca

Alberta’s Water for Life Strategy

GoalsGoals

Safe, secure drinking water supply

Healthy aquatic ecosystems

Reliable, quality water supplies for a sustainable economy

GoalsGoals

Safe, secure drinking water supply

Healthy aquatic ecosystems

Reliable, quality water supplies for a sustainable economy

Achieved ThroughAchieved Through

Knowledge and Research

Partnerships

Water Conservation

Achieved ThroughAchieved Through

Knowledge and Research

Partnerships

Water Conservation

Major Basins under Alberta Water Act

Key Management Principles

Water is owned by the Province: All withdrawals of surface water and most groundwater under 4000 ppm salinity are licensed

FITFIR: First in time, first in right

No INTER Basin transfers: Live within your means

Saskatchewan gets its share: 50% of flow at headwaters must be delivered to Saskatchewan border at prescribed quality levels

Big Changes: What does this mean for Business?

Athabasca River Basin Reports issued Summer 2007; proposes to set limits on withdrawals and discharge water quality

Regional planning mandated for Edmonton and Industrial Heartland Region in October, 2007; industry plan delivered mid December

South Saskatchewan Basin Management Plan issued August, 2006; no more water withdrawal permits to be issued for Bow, Oldman and South Saskatchewan Rivers

SSRB Water Management Plan

Three key industries face major challenges

Bordeaux Developments: Harmony Project

Sustainable Community Concept

Areas of Focus

• Water Conservation

• Water Re-use

Why?

• Responsible

• Good Business

Opportunity

• Building Code change

Water Pricing, Transfers and “Best” Use

Water transfer priciest in history

Balzac megamall clears hurdle

Renata D'Aliesio, Calgary HeraldPublished: Saturday, September 29, 2007

After several failed attempts and more than a year of searching, the Municipal District of Rocky View has secured water for a horse racetrack and megamall in Balzac -- dubbed the largest Alberta construction project outside of the oilsands.Alberta Environment said Friday it has approved a water deal between Rocky View and the Western Irrigation District. In exchange for guaranteed water rights, the M.D. will pay the irrigation district $15 million to convert 50 kilometres of a leaky canal into a pipeline.The licence transfer is the largest and priciest in the young history of Alberta's market to buy and sell water.

Water wealth for farmers, but what is the future of the family farm on the Prairies?

Oil and Gas Industry most likely to adapt

Opportunities:

Technologies and new practices can significantly reduce

fresh water consumption

(Newalta)

Oil & Gas Goal:Fresh Water consumption

neutral by 2020

Issues:

This industry usually last priority for water

Alberta Environment limiting use of fresh water for down hole

operations

Ownership of Wastewater and Timing

6-9 Heavy Oil Upgraders planning to locate in the Industrial Heartland

20-30,000 cubic metres per day each (assuming evaporative cooling)

Water Sources• The North Saskatchewan River

(new licences)• Under-utilized existing licences• Recycled Wastewater• Produced water in the area

Alternatives• Individual Water and Wastewater Treatment facilities, intakes and

discharges with river source• Single Treatment facility & distribution system• Recycled Domestic Wastewater• Combination of above

Gold Bar WWTP

Outcomes Based Environmental Management

October 2, 2007

Alberta rolls out new environmental strategy to protect air, land, waterIndustrial Heartland first project under new approachEdmonton... The Alberta government has unveiled a broad new approach to address cumulative effects on the environment, with the first application of the plan set for the Industrial Heartland, a 317-square-kilometer area just northeast of Edmonton.Under the new approach, a series of comprehensive, science-based targets, outcomes and actions have been set for Alberta’s Industrial Heartland to protect the air, land and water of the Capital Region.“As we face unprecendented growth in our province, with development on a scale we have not seen before, we must be assured we balance that growth with protection of the environment,” said Premier Ed Stelmach. “Albertans must know that their government is looking at the big picture, and preserving our environmental heritage for future generations.”

Industry Determines how to achieve Outcomes

Water Management Framework for the Industrial Heartland and Capital Region Report

The strategic objectives of the new Water Management Framework for the Industrial Heartland and Capital Region are:

Make Alberta a world leader in water and water reclamation technology.

Minimize the impact or “footprint” on the North Saskatchewan River

by improving the quality of the water and ensuring water conservation practices are in effect.

The Framework will be implemented using distinct phasing. The Framework has a regional perspective and may be used as a

model for other regional frameworks in the province.

December, 2007

Conceptual Diagram: Sustainable Regional Water Management Network to 2041

Consumptive demand can be reduced through changing technologies and designs

Industrial and

Commercial Cooling Goal:

To significantly reduce

evaporative cooling by 2020

Much of Northern Alberta is engaged in Oil Sands

Traditional Mining and In Situ methods consume ~ 2.5 barrels water/barrel bitumen

Technology is coming – THAI

Challenge of Tailings still remains

Our Oil Sands Industry is getting more Help

“The Oil Sands Sustainable Development Secretariat will coordinate and improve planning, communications and service delivery to the oil sands region. The Secretariat collaborates with ministries, industry, communities and stakeholders to facilitate a common approach to address the social, environmental and economic impacts of oil sand development.”

Summary of Emerging Issues

Water management in Scarcity• Water shortages (Strathmore)• Intra-basin water transfers (Balzac)• Pricing water licences (Irrigation Districts)• Ownership of recycled municipal and industrial water (Edmonton)

Regional Planning• Cumulative Effects (Industrial Heartland; Athabasca oil sands)• Future role of Agriculture (South Saskatchewan)

Consultative, Multi-Stakeholder, Consensus Process• Alberta Water Council and WPACS• Oil Sands planning

Changing legislative environment• Provincial and National Building codes (Harmony)

Alberta WaterPortal

Mission:

To create a place where anyone can easily get the water data, information and knowledge needed to make better decisions and become more actively involved in managing our water resources.

www.albertawater.com

Implementation partners:

• IBM

• Bow River Basin Council

• Tesera Systems

• Suncor Foundation

Sign UpWaterNews Alerts

Water: The Key to Our Sustainable Future

Alberta Society for Sustainable Water Management and Related Technologies

For more information:For more information:[email protected]

www.albertawater.comwww.albertawater.com