[Excerpts from Apr. 21 Manitoba News Release and Website]
Conservation Minister Steve Ashton today released Manitoba’s Water Strategy which sets out plans to protect the province’s water from source to tap while meeting the needs of all Manitobans.

"This strategy focuses on three main areas--including better planning on a watershed basis, stronger legislation and more investment," said Ashton. "Building on the establishment of water protection initiatives such as the Lake Winnipeg Action Plan and the Drinking Water Office, we are taking a dynamic and flexible approach that demonstrates the government’s commitment to act on sustainable water management in Manitoba." Highlights of the strategy include:

- the placement of 12 new drinking water officers throughout the province;
- improved livestock regulations; and
- the development of new nutrient management zones to protect water quality.

According to the Water Strategy Website, the three elements of the implementation framework - new legislation, improved financial foundations and management on a watershed basis - are crucial to the Manitoba Water Strategy process. This is the means to co-ordinate diverse actions into a broad, coherent and integrated strategy for the future. The development of this framework will be a participatory process that considers present and future anticipated demands on our water, within a sustainable vision.

Full Release
Manitoba Water Strategy

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