Bill 72, The Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act.[i], received first reading on May 18, 2010. Once granted Royal Assent, the Act is expected to advance water treatment technology, create jobs, promote water conservation and sustain water infrastructure.
The Water Opportunities Act would: [ii],[iii]
1. Establish the Water Technology Acceleration Project, “a technology hub” that is hoped to encourage businesses in the water and wastewater sector, by fostering new partnerships between industries, governments and academic leaders.
2. Introduce a regulation-making authority for the Minister of the Environment to require prescribed information about water use on water bills, communicate progress by reporting every three years and establish efficiency targets for municipal water, wastewater and stormwater.
3. Introduce regulation-making authority to require municipal water sustainability plans and advance government leadership by requiring public agencies to consider water conservation and innovation in their practice.
In order to facilitate the success of the Act’s outlined goals, the Bill also includes schedules of proposed amendments to existing legislation. The combined efforts to amend the Building Code Act, 1992; the Capital Investment Plan Act, 1993; the Green Energy Act, 2009; and the Ontario Water Resources Act, 1990, should ensure considerations for water conservation through the establishment of stricter mandates; the assignment of water efficiency targets for inefficient appliances and products; and the financing of technologies for the treatment and management of water.[iv],[v]
[i] Ministry of Environment. (May 18, 2010). Newsroom, Backgrounder: The Proposed Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act
[ii] Environmental Registry. (May 18, 2010). Ministry of Environment, Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act, 2010
[iii] Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Bill 72 – An Act to enact the Water Opportunities Act, 2010 and to amend other Acts in respect of water conservation and other matters
[iv] Environmental Registry. (May 18, 2010). Ministry of Environment, Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act, 2010
[v] Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Bill 72 – An Act to enact the Water Opportunities Act, 2010 and to amend other Acts in respect of water conservation and other matters, p. 4.
by Jessica Yuan and Dianne Saxe.
thank you to Jessica for helping to keep the blog going while I’m tied up at trial.