SASKWATER EXPANDS SERVICES TO NORTH CENTRAL RURAL PIPELINE ASSOCIATION

The North Central Rural Pipeline Association (NCRPA), a SaskWater treated water supply customer, has become the first pipeline association to upgrade its service to include Certified Operations and Maintenance, in which SaskWater monitors facilities, tests water quality and manages regulatory reporting.

NCRPA represents both industrial and domestic water supply customers in six rural municipalities in the Wakaw-Cudworth rural area. SaskWater has delivered treated water to NCRPA since 1996. SaskWater will also invest $25,000 in new chlorine monitoring devices to support 24-hour remote monitoring of water quality.

NCRPA has pursued this agreement with SaskWater as part of its efforts to comply with new provincial drinking water regulations. A specific regulation requires all rural water utility groups, like NCRPA, to have certified operations in place by July 2005.

"By outsourcing certified operations and maintenance services to SaskWater, we are ensuring our water quality will meet new regulatory requirements," NCRPA Secretary Lloyd Wedewer said. "The flat monthly fee also allows us to predict and manage our utility costs which will support our efforts to attract more subscribers to the NCRPA water system." The Association is currently installing a pipeline extension with SaskWater that will connect several farms and resorts to the existing treated water system.

"When SaskWater was re-mandated to be the Provincial Crown water utility in 2002, partnerships of this nature were our goal," Minister Responsible for SaskWater Peter Prebble said. "Employing SaskWater's expertise to ensure competitively-priced, high-quality drinking water, allows local community officials to concentrate on the economic growth and prosperity of their respective communities with the guarantee of quality water to support them."

SaskWater draws water from the South Saskatchewan River to its water treatment plant in Wakaw. The regional supply system delivers treated water to almost 9,300 people in ten communities, and numerous individual households.

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For More Information, Contact:

Felechia Brodie SaskWater Moose Jaw Phone: (306) 694-3940