Working to protect Manitoba's water

Manitoba’s clean water policy

Manitoba’s abundant water is a fragile resource that we can’t take for granted.

From farming to fishing, from recreational activities to powering our homes and businesses, Manitobans rely on our supply of clean, fresh water every day.

Across our province, industry and municipalities are already moving to improve wastewater treatment and farmers are adopting environmentally beneficial practices.

The Manitoba government is also working hard to preserve and protect our water by:

• continually testing drinking water supplies
• working with Manitobans to improve water quality in our lakes with special emphasis on improving the water quality in Lake Winnipeg
• working with communities and organizations to develop Manitoba’s watershed management plans
• promoting water conservation
• closely managing fish habitats
• ensuring surface water and groundwater quality controls on industry and wastewater treatment
• seeking input from Manitobans on land drainage, water use, planning, stewardship and conservation
• seeking input from Aboriginal communities and northern residents on Manitoba’s water strategy and implementation
• improving legislation to protect Manitoba’s water

Protecting our lakes and rivers

Our province’s lakes and rivers are a living legacy for all Manitobans. We must all work together to ensure that we protect this legacy so that future generations of Manitobans can benefit from an abundance of clean, fresh water.

A plan for Lake Winnipeg — protecting our prairie ocean

With a surface area of 24,000 square kilometres, Lake Winnipeg is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world. Over the past 30 years, human activity has increased the level of harmful nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous in Lake Winnipeg by 10%. This has caused algae overgrowth and too much algae in the lake can:

• reduce recreational opportunities like swimming and water sports
• increase drinking water treatment costs
• change aquatic habitat, deplete essential oxygen levels and produce toxins that are harmful to people, pets, fish and wildlife
• clog the nets and threaten the livelihood of over 800 commercial fishers

We must not allow these changes to continue. The province is working with industry, communities, cottagers and neighbouring states and provinces to restore Lake Winnipeg. As part of the Lake Winnipeg Action Plan, the province created the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board. The board will help Manitobans identify the best ways to reduce the level of harmful nutrients in the lake.

The Clean Beaches Program encourages Manitobans to protect the health and safety of our lake water by following some simple guidelines.

• Don’t feed the shore birds — gulls can quickly become accustomed to eating and living on the beach.
• Don’t litter or discard food on the beach — dispose of trash in proper receptacles.
• Change diapered children frequently and away from the water’s edge.
• Never bury waste in the sand.