WHEREAS non-potable water supplies in many Saskatchewan rural areas are unavailable or expensive; and

WHEREAS the lack of adequate non-potable water for household and livestock use discourages rural habitation; and

WHEREAS municipalities need rural residents to maintain their vibrant rural communities; and

WHEREAS incentives to develop water resources and distribution systems have favoured development of treated drinking water resources over less expensive non-potable water resources;

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby Provincial Government agencies for grants and other assistance programs that will enable the development of non-potable water resources for rural areas severely disadvantaged by lack of water for domestic and livestock use.

Response from Honourable Ken Cheveldayoff, Minister of Saskatchewan Water Security Agency:

Water supplies, whether for rural or urban areas, are very important. That is why the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth includes a section titled "Securing Saskatchewan's Water Future" and why, as part of the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth we created the Water Security Agency and the 25 Year Water Security Plan. Support to communities for water supply has generally come through federal provincial infrastructure programs which are generally administered by Ministry of Government Relations or under Growing Forward through the Ministry of Agriculture. I will work with my colleagues, the Minister of Government Relations and the Minister of Agriculture, to seek inclusion of funds for rural water supplies in any new federal provincial programs.