West 91大黄鸭 council has voted against a proposed independent review of the city's 2014 Water Utility Master Plan.
In November 2024, a group of residents circulated a petition and called for an independent review, citing concerns about public health and a lack of trust in the city鈥檚 water decisions.
They wanted to know why the Rose Valley Reservoir was selected as the drinking water source, how treatment through the new Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant (RVWTP) is being managed, and whether the city鈥檚 long-term water planning holds up under scrutiny.
The city has come under fire for water quality issues linked to the RVWTP, particularly high manganese levels. Residents have also criticized what they describe as poor communication and a lack of transparency from the city.
However, at its June 10 meeting, council decided against an independent review, opting to rely on the current Water Utility Master Plan update instead.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working on it, so why would we pay between $50,000 and $150,000 for an independent review when we're having this plan done,鈥� Mayor Gord Milsom asked. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 make any logical sense to me.鈥�
An independent review could take up to a year and delay the current master plan update. Staff noted that concerns raised by residents will be addressed in the update.
Councillor Rick de Jong said he read both the 2014 Water Utility Master Plan and the residents鈥� petition, and while he understands the concerns鈥攅specially around manganese and the choice of the Rose Valley Reservoir鈥攈e doesn鈥檛 believe an independent review is the best way forward.
鈥淲e could have done better, and we will do better.鈥�
In his view, de Jong said, the 2014 plan was solid and based on the best information at the time. He noted that manganese wasn鈥檛 considered a health risk back then, just an aesthetic issue, and the plan found that both the reservoir and lake sources could meet health standards.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 that health was ignored鈥攊t just wasn鈥檛 flagged the way it would be today,鈥� he said.
He questioned whether a $150,000 review that looks backward would be worth the cost or delay.
鈥淲e need to focus on what delivers safer water now,鈥� he said, adding that the updated Water Utility Master Plan can still address community concerns without restarting from scratch. 鈥淚 think it was important in response to the community that we've had this report come forward and we've had this discussion at the council table.鈥�
Public consultation for the updated plan is expected later this year, in fall or winter.
An update from the city on the Rose Valley Water Service Area issued on June 13 noted a slight rise in manganese in the Rose Valley Reservoir.
鈥淩ecent levels have gone up to 0.03 milligrams per litre, which is still well below the Health Canada safety limit of 0.12 mg/L, but it does exceed the aesthetic guideline of 0.02 mg/L鈥� the report stated.
Plant staff have restarted pre-chlorination of the water鈥攋ust after it leaves the reservoir鈥攚hich adds oxygen and helps keep the manganese from dissolving, allowing the plant to filter it out more easily.
A permanent pre-oxidation system will be installed this summer. Council also approved speeding up the installation of a modern aeration system. It will oxygenate the water in the reservoir to prevent manganese from dissolving and flowing into the treatment plant. The new system will be installed by the end of 2025.
