City of Medicine Hat launches public survey on long-term water strategy

The City says it will work with its departments that incorporate water source protection, municipal water utility operations and maintenance, plans for economic development and growth, applicable legislation and response to climate-related events.

Community feedback is expected to help the City Council and administration identify priorities, assess levels of support, and determine where to focus future actions to reduce risks and strengthen City operations and services related to water management.

Manager of Environmental Strategy and Compliance with the City, Adria Coombs, says that the strategy is formed by engaging technical and operational staff dealing with City services related to water, reviewing existing information about the City’s water, wastewater, and stormwater systems, and considering regulations, future population and industry growth forecasts, and climate projections.

“The City’s water management is influenced by internal operations and expected service levels for our community, but also by various external pressures such as weather-related events like flood or drought, growth, infrastructure condition and needs, and regulatory policy and legislation,” Coombs said.

“These technical inputs help us measure factors such as likelihood, risks, potential cost and, from there, determine existing or planned resilience measures to address these current or future water challenges,” she added.

“But as we build out this plan, understanding which challenges our residents view as priority will help focus our efforts in a coordinated way.”

She adds that this survey will support that understanding.

The City has offered an incentive for participants who complete the survey. They can enter a draw to win a $75 prepaid credit card.

The survey is open until June 19, 2026.

Residents can access the survey on the City’s Water Management and Adaptation Strategy project page.

by Jesse Gill

City of Medicine Hat launches public survey on long-term water strategy

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