Town water is sustainable

Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor

 

The Town of Strathmore’s sustainability committee is promoting the message to use tap water instead of buying bottled water.
The committee recently updated town council on the success of the water trailer, donated to them by the 55 Plus Summer Games held in Strathmore, and used for community events in the future.
“Our flagship event was Canada Day last year. We had good support from other vendors there,” said Johnathan Moore, spokesperson for the committee. “Our big thing was getting people behind using tap water and reusing bottles, rather than buying bottled water.”
In 2013, Canadians used 2.4 billion litres of bottled water. There is a myth that bottled water is safer than tap water. In some instances, such as contaminated water supplies, that is true. However, in normal conditions, there are stringent requirements on the treatment and monitoring of municipal potable water. In Canada, bottled water is regulated as a food and therefore, it must comply with the federal government’s Food and Drugs Act and Regulations. But the industry is self-monitored, and facilities that package the bottled water may get inspections only once every three years.
The Strathmore water wagon holds 400 gallons of water. Refilling a reusable container from such a facility can reduce bottles sent to landfills. After each event, the wagon’s tank is emptied and sterilized. Sanitary disinfectant wipes are used to keep taps clean at events.
Similar water wagons are used at events like fashion week in New York and in various parks across Canada.
“All in all, this project has been a major accomplishment for the town,” said Moore. “Not only is it a way to educate people on the negative effects of water bottles, it is also a way to introduce new initiatives down the road.”
The sustainability committee has more than 10 projects it is currently working on to help recycling and reuse in Strathmore.