Municipal Water Policy on Stormwater
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the AUMA 2014 General Assembly approve the municipal stormwater policy.
WHEREAS in 2012 the AUMA Board of Directors issued the mandate of developing Municipal Water Policies and approved advancing polices over a number of years with 2014 policies focused on stormwater;
WHEREAS AUMA developed policy statements and sought members’ input through an online discussion guide and workbook, a workshop, webinars, Digest articles, and discussion at Mayors Caucuses, municipal–related events and the Water Network; and
WHEREAS at its June meeting, the AUMA Board of Directors considered members’ input and adopted the policies for consideration at the 2014 Convention.
Stormwater management is the planning, design and operation of systems that store, convey, and treat stormwater runoff. By controlling runoff, mitigating flooding and preventing pollutants from entering water bodies, effective stormwater systems can minimize adverse impacts to communities and the natural environment.
With fast-paced population growth, loss of natural areas, and increased development being a common reality for many Alberta communities, concerns related to stormwater management have heightened. With development, more land coverage by impermeable surfaces contributes to increased runoff rates, volumes, and pollutant loadings. These changes can contribute to the degradation of water quality and aquatic ecosystems, urban flooding, erosion and sedimentation, infrastructure deterioration, property damage, and public health risks.
December 2014 (Environment and Sustainable Resource Development) The province is committed to doing whatever it can to help municipalities become more resilient in the face of flooding and commends the work of the AUMA on stormwater. The province is taking the following actions related to AUMAs policies: - Exploring an overall approach to water reuse, including a stormwater component. - Providing grants through the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program to increase flood and drought resiliency throughout Albertas watersheds. - Running year round meteorological stations to gain reliable data and increase regional knowledge of the changing climate which can be used to create the intensity duration frequency (IDF) curves needed to plan stormwater systems.
AUMA considers this response