All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes Water

Anna Meksavanh

Regional Council · Region of Waterloo

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All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes Water

Water Supply (Regional)

The Region of Waterloo's long-term water supply is under growing pressure. Water capacity in the Mannheim Service Area serving Kitchener, Waterloo, and parts of Cambridge, Wilmot, and Woolwich, is limited in supporting new development approvals. While additional supplies were found for easing immediate needs, what long term approach should the Region take? (rank from highest to lowest in importance)ranked from highest to lowest importance
  1. Prioritize immediate investment in water conservation programs and demand management
  2. Accelerate exploration of alternative water sources (wells, treated wastewater reuse, inter-municipal supply)
  3. Commission an independent technical review of all options before committing to major new infrastructure
  4. Pursue a Lake Erie pipeline connection with provincial and federal cost-sharing
  5. Approve developments now and resolve water supply constraints in the future

Describe your position on how the Region should resolve this issue and what timeline is realistic.candidate's own words

I believe our Region must focus on water conservation, public education, and smart growth instead of jumping into massive, expensive new infrastructure. We should manage our current water supply responsibly by pausing new development approvals until we are certain we have the water capacity to support them. This plan must protect our townships and the private wells that rural families rely on. Rural areas like Wilmot and Woolwich have paid the price for urban growth by dealing with dried-up wells and water being quietly diverted away from them. The Region needs to treat rural well owners fairly by bringing in independent experts to handle well complaints and by legally protecting the Waterloo Moraine aquifer. This approach is realistic because it focuses on timely, low-cost actions right now rather than multi-billion-dollar pipelines. By expanding local water-saving programs today and doing an independent technical review over the next few years, we can make the most of what we already have. This protects our environment and keeps our taxes down by forcing new developments to pay for their own impact.