WINNIPEG - March 7, 2008 - The first of the new water treatment processes, ultraviolet light disinfection, is operating and protecting Winnipeg residents against waterborne parasites.

Ultraviolet light (UV) disinfection was installed in the existing Deacon pumping station at a cost of $9 million. This innovative approach saved $34 million, when compared to the cost of building a “stand alone” UV disinfection facility.

On November 22, 2000, City Council adopted a plan for water treatment to protect public health and to meet drinking water quality guidelines.

Barry MacBride, Director of the City’s Water and Waste Department, says, “Ultraviolet light disinfection is the first process of a multi-barrier approach that will ensure Winnipeg residents continue to enjoy the safest drinking water possible for generations to come."

Dr. Margaret Fast, Medical Officer of Health with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, says, "Water treatment saves lives. Before UV was in place, Winnipeg had no effective barrier against Cryptosporidium. The presence of Cryptosporidium in the drinking water supply would have made it necessary for residents to boil their tap water or use an alternate source of water. While the risk of a waterborne disease outbreak due to Cryptosporidium is low, UV disinfection virtually eliminates this risk.”

In the UV process, water travels through chambers that contain ultraviolet lamps. With only seconds of exposure, the UV light rays penetrate micro-organisms and destroy their ability to reproduce. They are no longer able to cause infection and illness and are therefore harmless. UV light, at the doses used in Winnipeg’s facility, effectively protects us against parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia.

UV disinfection is environmentally friendly, and does not change the taste, odour, or appearance of the water.

A 12,000 square meter water treatment plant (about the size of the MTS Centre) that will house the remaining treatment processes is being built at the Deacon site. The plant is expected to be finished in early 2009.

For more information on UV disinfection, visit our web site at winnipeg.ca/waterandwaste/water/treatment/uv.stm

For more information on Winnipeg’s water, see the two blue pages at the back of the MTS White Pages Phone Book, or visit our web site at winnipeg.ca/waterandwaste/water.

WINNIPEG - March 7, 2008 - Fire and Paramedic Chief Jim Brennan – joined by Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Steve Ashton and Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz – today congratulated 12 veteran firefighters and two Academy Officers as they completed Safety Officer training, welcomed 11 fire recruits to the ranks of the Winnipeg Fire Department (WFD), and took the opportunity to showcase state-of-the-art breathing apparatus and equipment for firefighters.

“Manitoba has been a national leader when it comes to working with our firefighters,” said Ashton. “We have established groundbreaking legislation to deal with presumptive diseases for firefighters, as well as new regulations on staffing safety.”

“The men and women of the Winnipeg Fire Department are extraordinary individuals whose profession requires that we, as elected officials, continue to invest in the technology and resources to keep them safe in their own duties to protect the lives of our citizens,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “Which is why committing the necessary funds to meet those needs and address the recommendations of the Office of the Fire Commissioner is a priority.”

“We are continually working to enhance our emergency response capability, and to provide the safest environment for our firefighters,” said Chief Brennan. “I would like to thank the Mayor and Premier for their continued support of the Fire Department. Today we have tangible evidence of their commitment in the form of improvements to fire ground safety, in the form of state-of-the-art technologies, and in the form of a significant number of additional personnel.”

The addition of the Safety Officer positions serves to address recommendation #15 of the Office of the Fire Commissioner’s Investigative Report into the fatal fire at 15 Gabrielle Roy Place last February: “WFD ensure a designated safety officer is available at every working fire or incident to work with the Incident Commander as prescribed in the Incident Command System whose sole responsibility is to ensure that all operations are being conducted with the safety of all personnel as a priority."

Ashton noted that today’s event marks the final deployment of the provincial government’s commitment of $3.8 million for the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service for public safety and other priorities, including response and service improvements, announced last April. Included among the $3.8 million was funding for the Safety Officers, an additional pumper in south Winnipeg, 12 new paramedics, new breathing apparatus and thermal imaging cameras, and the addition of 40 firefighters, the final 11 of which will now begin serving the citizens of Winnipeg.

WINNIPEG - March 7, 2008 - Winnipeg, MB - Living Prairie Museum, located at 2795 Ness Avenue, has added another date, Saturday, March 29, 2008, for the Native Prairie Planting Workshops. During this 3-hour workshop, participants can learn about native prairie plants and how they might be included in your home or cottage landscape design.

John Morgan of Prairie Habitats Nursery, a veteran of prairie planting and restoration, will conduct the workshops. The workshops include a slide presentation, discussion and wildflower seed-planting lab.

Participants can choose from one of the following dates:

• Tuesday, March 11th, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
• Sunday, March 16th, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• **New Date** Saturday, March 29th, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Registration Fee: $40 plus GST, includes all seeds and materials.

In addition to the above workshop, two new informative workshops are being offered from Prairie Habitats Inc. and Living Prairie Museum:

Prairie Pyro
Tuesday, April 8, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Learn all about the role of fire in the prairie ecosystem, its effects on the plants, wildlife, soil and insects. Fire was an essential part of the prairie landscape before settlement and has numerous benefits. Discover the fascinating world of fire ecology, and learn about the techniques and equipment used today in modern controlled burns for native prairie management. Discover how to safely do your own managed burns to improve the health and diversity of a native prairie planting. We may even top the course off with an optional controlled burn on a real native prairie!

Collecting the Seed
Tuesday, September 9, 2008 - 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
This new workshop will go into detail on how to collect your own wildflower and native grass seed. The equipment and knowledge you will need, how to locate seed sources, identify seed heads of native wildflowers and grasses, and the importance of this activity for the future of many native species will be covered. Fun and educational, it's something the whole family will enjoy. We will top the course off with an optional field trip to apply what you have learned so you can bring back some free native seeds for your own property.

To register, please contact the Living Prairie Museum at 832-0167 or prairie@winnipeg.ca.