Waterless Wednesdays eliminated
Unpopular cost-saving initiative unlikely to be reinstated
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, June 6, 2016
IQALUIT
To the joy of some vocal residents, Waterless Wednesdays is no more and it seems likely the cost-saving initiative will not be reinstated.
Iqaluit Mayor Madeleine Redfern says the city will continue looking at ways to introduce efficiencies after Waterless Wednesdays was eliminated. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo |
Almost a year of hot-headed debate ended in a spur-of-the-moment motion during Iqaluit city council April 26, when Coun. Terry Dobbin moved to suspend Waterless Wednesdays until administration could prove the initiative was saving money. The majority of council agreed.
Since then, administration came forth with a document showing the initiative, which ended deliveries to trucked-water residences on Wednesdays in August 2015, saved about $62,000 from the time it was initiated up to the first three months of 2016. However, the amount of savings didn't seem to impress council members enough to make anyone want to reinstate it.
"It is not pending discussion any time soon," stated Coun. Kuthula Matshazi in an e-mail to Nunavut News/North.
At this point in time, council has asked the city to do some additional research as to why approximately 25 units on trucked services were running out of water, whether it was due to small tanks, overcrowding or another issue, stated Mayor Madeleine Redfern in an e-mail.
"Council suggested that some public information should be developed and provided to residents on trucked services, many of whom may not be aware of their actual situation and water usage," she stated.
"Quite a number of residents on trucked services receive water three to five times a week, simply because they do not require water - water light does not go on and therefore water is not delivered - and/or their water float is set at a lower and sufficient level vs some residents have their water float at a higher level triggering the water light to go on even though only a small amount of water is in fact being delivered."
She said there are operational trucked-service efficiencies that the city and council would like its public works department to continue to assess.
She referenced Yellowknife, which has approximately 25 per cent of its residents on trucked services, delivering water three to five days a week.
"A majority of other Northern communities do not deliver water daily," she stated.
Looming in the near future, she added, is the possibility that the community's use might exceed the available water currently used from Lake Geraldine.
"Council suggested the city should also do some public education around conservation for all residents, irrespective of trucked or piped services," stated Redfern. "Plus water conservation simply is environmentally responsible and saves users money. "
Continuing to identify operational and service efficiencies remains important to the city, she said.
"The city and council recognize this includes water, whether trucked and/or piped," she stated.
