Legislative Electronic Publications -- Water Quality Management Zones Designed To Protect Water: Ashton

Manitoba Government News Release:
Information Services, Room 29, Legislative Building, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0V8 Telephone: (204)
945-3746 Fax: (204) 945-3988

July 20, 2005

WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT ZONES DESIGNED TO PROTECT WATER: ASHTON

Water Stewardship Minister Steve Ashton released a discussion paper today that identifies water quality management zones (WQMZ) throughout the province, the first of their kind in North America. The water quality management zones will identify areas in which water systems are protected from the excessive run-off of nitrogen and phosphorus and will assist in preventing the over-application of nutrients to the landscape.

WQMZ are an integral part of the Water Protection Act that was passed in the Manitoba legislature on June 16. The act creates a systematic framework for improved water management and protection in Manitoba.

"I am pleased to provide Manitobans with this discussion paper which will serve as a framework for governing the water quality management zones," said Ashton. "It is important that we work with communities and all citizens to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to review the discussion paper and offer their suggestions and comments."

As part of the discussion paper, Manitoba’s landscape has been separated into four zones using scientific criteria that can influence run-off or leaching of nutrients from land to water. These factors include climate, moisture limitations, land slope, topography, soil characteristics, distance to groundwater, erosion potential and crop yield potential. Maps have been prepared showing the proposed zones in each of Manitoba’s rural municipalities and are contained in the consultation document.

Buffer set-back distances from water have also been identified where application of nutrients will need to be limited.

Studies have shown that nutrients have increased by about 10 per cent in Lake Winnipeg since the early 1970s. There are many sources of nutrients applied to the landscape including septic fields, animal manure, municipal waste water sludge, inorganic fertilizer and others. Excess levels of nutrients fuel the production of algae and aquatic plants. Extensive algal blooms can reduce essential levels of oxygen and clog fisher’s commercial nets, as well as interfere with drinking water treatment facilities including taste and odour problems, while some species of blue-green algae can produce toxins.

"The gradual but steady increase in nitrogen and phosphorus contributions to water systems over the past several decades is probably one of the greatest water-quality challenges facing not only Manitoba but also other jurisdictions in Canada, the United States and Europe," Ashton said. "Through the Water Protection Act and initiatives like WQMZ, we hope to reduce the loading of nutrients to our lakes and rivers and bring back Lake Winnipeg to levels that existed before 1970."

The detailed, consultation document can be obtained by contacting:

Manitoba Water Stewardship

123 Main Street, Suite 160

Winnipeg MB R3C 1A5

Phone: 945-7100 in Winnipeg; toll-free at 1-800-282-8069, ext. 7100.

The consultation document can also be downloaded from Manitoba Water Stewardship’s website at http://www.gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT ZONES

In addition to development of water quality management zones for nutrients, many other initiatives are underway or have been completed that will reduce the contributions of nutrients to Manitoba’s water systems:

An agreement was reached through the International Joint Commission’s International Red River Board that all jurisdictions in the Red River basin would reduce contributions to nutrients to Lake Winnipeg by 10 per cent within five years.
Licences have been issued to the City of Winnipeg requiring nutrient abatement at its west-end waste water treatment facility and the centrate treatment unit at the north-end facility by the end of 2006, with full nutrient abatement at other facilities to follow.
New waste water treatment facilities such as those serving the food processing sector will be required to implement nutrient abatement measures.
The work of the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board is continuing. The board’s first interim report was released on Feb.18 by Water Stewardship Minister Steve Ashton. This report contains recommendations in 32 areas that will assist to reduce nutrients to Lake Winnipeg.
The Planning Act, passed by the Manitoba Legislature on June 16 adds measures to modernize land-use planning in Manitoba including:

– mandatory municipal land-use planning

– the requirement that municipal development plans must include a livestock operations policy that sets out areas where livestock operations will be considered and where they will be prohibited.

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