Sask city that suffered tainted water outbreak must wait for new sewage plant

Wednesday, April 09, 2003

REGINA (CP) - The Saskatchewan community hit by a tainted water outbreak that sickened more than 7,000 people will have to wait longer for a new sewage treatment plant because of a squabble over money.

Almost two years ago residents suffered from vomiting, diarrhea and high fever as a result of an outbreak of cryptosporidium - microscopic parasites that can cause illness similar to "beaver fever." Following an inquiry it was recommended the city build a new sewage plant downstream of its water treatment facility by the spring of this year.

But arranging the funding for the project has been difficult with the provincial government and the city fighting over who should pay for what.

"One has to wonder about the commitment of the province of Saskatchewan or the City of North Battleford to quality water for its residents when they get all involved in politics and wrangling when it comes to who is going to pay," said Grant Scharfstein, a lawyer representing North Battleford citizens in a lawsuit over the outbreak.

"What's at stake is the health of the 14,000 people in the area that drink that water and neither the province nor the city are interested in fixing the problem."

The province says it has already given more than its share of money to solve the water problems and maintains the city should raise additional revenue to pay for the new $15-million facility. But North Battleford says its resources are tapped.

"This just is a real kick in the head for people who were told two years ago that the premier would be there for us," said Jack Hillson, an opposition member of the legislature for North Battleford.

City commissioner Jim Toye said North Battleford has done some site planning and design work, but construction is being held up by not getting extra money from the Canada-Saskatchewan Infrastructure Plan - a joint federal-provincial program to help municipalities with capital costs.

Toye said North Battleford was turned down for slightly more than $2 million in infrastructure funding last week.

The city has put water and sewer rates up 60 to 70 per cent to raise money for the construction, but there is only so much citizens can bear, he said.

"For a small city of 14,000 people, a $15-million project is pretty high-tech," Toye said. "And over and above that, we have other infrastructure issues.

"A number of high-level government officials said 'we will be there for you' and council doesn't believe that either government has followed through with that."

Saskatchewan Environment Minister Buckley Belanger said North Battleford has already been given $750,000 to improve treatment and do well exploration.

Another $900,000 is coming from the infrastructure program that the city says it will put toward the sewage facility.

"We've believe we have done a very good job at recognizing North Battleford's problems, but there are 600 systems throughout the province that we have to work with," Belanger told a news conference Wednesday.

"In this partnership we are going to do as much as we can, but clearly municipalities have always owned these systems, have the responsibility to ensure they are operating safely and have a significant role to play as well."

North Battleford's outbreak came about a year after one of the worst drinking-water disasters in Canadian history in Walkerton, Ont. Seven people died and 2,300 fell ill when a deadly strain of E. coli contaminated the town's water supply in May 2000.

In his final report on the North Battleford cryptosporidium outbreak, inquiry commissioner Robert Laing called the Saskatchewan government an "inadequate and ineffective" regulator of the water supply.

He made 28 recommendations including more stringent standards for water treatment plants, comprehensive inspections, rigorous enforcement of standards, improved training for operators and more resources for the Environment Department to deal with water quality issues.

Most of the issues have already been moved on by the province and municipalities, Belanger said.