Argenteuil member of the Québec National Assembly Agnès Grondin played a significant role in the development of the water protection plan recently announced by the Québec government.
Minister of the Environment Benoit Charrette unveiled the Plan national de l’eau on September 17. Grondin is the parliamentary assistant to the minister and served as chair of the water action forum where various representatives of water using stakeholder groups from across Québec were assembled for the development of the plan. Work on developing the water plan began in January 2023 and implementation of the plan comes with a $500 budget.
Grondin said the forum met and identified 10 priorities for water that were mutually beneficial to all stakeholders. Those include potable water and municipal well protection. Out of the 10 priorities, 39 measures will be implemented through various programs. Grondin said the government will collaborate with universities and other research institutions on those measures. As an example of one of the measures, Grondin mentioned the removal of harmful PFAS chemicals from water. The government is also using the plan to protect water sources and conserve resources used by the commercial water bottling industry. Grondin said that in 2023, revenue from permits granted to water bottling companies began going to a specific fund which will be used to implement measures under the new water plan.
The forum also included input from lake and cottage associations from across Québec on water conservation.
“We know in Argenteuil, there are a lot of lake associations that are very dynamic,” Grondin commented.
Grondin noted that many lake associations engage in so-called “citizen science” activities involving monitoring water quality and invasive species already. The new plan intends to expand and encourage those activities.
River cleanup, and assisting municipalities along those rivers, is another part of the plan. This includes preventing the spread of invasive species and ensuring boaters wash their crafts if they are being transported between bodies of water.
“It’s going to help municipalities that want to have a washing station,” Grondin said.
The village of Grenville already had a boat washing station operating during the summer months.
Reducing water consumption is part of the plan for agriculture and to assist residents with improvements for septic systems. Grondin said septic systems are particularly relevant for the mostly rural residents of Argenteuil.
“I’m so happy for that measure,” she remarked.
Overall, the plan aims to reduce the amount of water that gets wasted in Québec.
Grondin emphasized that the water plan was developed to involve varying industries and recreational organizations in all regions in Québec. The government is planning to engage the participation of regional and municipal governments to implement the plan.
“It’s not something that was created in an office in Québec (city) with experts from the ministry,” Grondin said.
She is pleased the water plan was established collaboratively with stakeholders.
