WC129 MarApr2023 - Flipbook - Page 28
WATER CANADA WEBINARS
According to William Fernandes, director of Water Treatment
and Supply with the City of Toronto, while water is technically
free, what isn’t free is the infrastructure that gets the water to our
taps. “That part cannot be free because somebody has to do the
treatment, somebody has to put up the plant, and somebody has
to pay for all that.”
Vassilakos also mentions that while
people may not complain about their
water bill in terms of usage, there are
”Are municipalities equipped to create programs that
often complaints with sewer surcharges.
This is primarily because again, people
ensure safe, equitable water delivery and treatment
may not understand that the water they
that includes a fair utility rate structure? ”
use is part of a cycle that includes, not
just the primary treatment to manufacture clean, safe, drinking water, but also
the other end of the loop, where spent
water goes through sewer systems to wastewater treatment plants;
all of which come with costs attached.
And these levies need to be paid, according to Martin Bureau,
vice president of innovation with SANEXEN. He points out that
Canada’s apparent abundance of water makes it easy to take for
granted. However, clean, safe drinking water costs money. “In
Quebec, for example,” he shares, “there’s no tax on water or it’s
almost hidden. Most taxpayers don’t even look at that small line
To watch the entire webinar
and that line in terms of quantity of dollars is ridiculously low.
watercanada.net/water-canada-webinar-series/
That needs to change.”
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WATER C AN ADA • M ARCH/APRIL 2023
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
Getty Images
Wastewater treatment plants, like this one in Quebec,
are essential infrastructure in the water loop.
