Applying Manitoba's Water Policies - Government of Manitoba

Applying the PoliciesWater Supply• develop, through consultation with local authoritiesand user groups, municipal water use rate structureoptions and other demand management measures.• promote the use of municipal rate structures thatencourage conservation of water but are sensitive tosocio-economic and technical constraints.• develop and maintain comprehensive water sourceand use monitoring networks and databases to facilitatedemand management planning and implementation.• require that demand management options beexplored and appropriate options implementedbefore providing financial assistance to construct orimprove water supply and wastewater handlinginfrastructures.• encourage extensive metering in water supply systemsto monitor uses and losses and to facilitate theapplication of appropriate rate structures and costrecovery.• review and modify legislation to ensure that itallows for water use rate structures that encourageconservation of water.• review and modify government supports and subsidiesto municipal water supply infrastructures toensure that such supports and subsidies do notexcessively reduce the effectiveness of demand management.• explore and promote water conservation technology.• promote practices that reduce the need for water orthat reschedules uses and reduces peak demands.• ensure that legislation and regulation supportsdemand management.• provide incentives for acquisition and use of waterconservation technology.• promote the use of local land use planning thatensures that developments are compatible withwater supply and wastewater handling capability.• undertake, in cooperation with local authorities andthe public, basin and watershed planning whichincludes the development of water supply strategiesand identifies need and opportunities for demandmanagement and other water conservation measures.2. Local authorities can:• participate with the provincial government in developingmunicipal water use rate structure optionsand other demand management measures for applicationto local conditions.• participate in basin and watershed planning whichincludes the development of water supply strategiesand identifies needs and opportunities for demandmanagement and other water conservation measures.• adopt appropriate and visible water pricing ratestructures to encourage water conservation.• develop, operate, and maintain water supply infrastructuresto standards designed to minimize waterlosses.• incorporate extensive metering in municipal supplysystems to identify uses and losses and to facilitatethe application of water use charges to support conservation.• use planning and development restrictions to ensurethat land uses and industrial development are compatiblewith local water supply and wastewater disposalcapability.• promote land and water use practices and technologythat support conservation of water.• ensure that contingency plans and appropriate bylawsare in place to control or ration water use intimes of emergencies or drought.43