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