Charlottetown mayoral candidates take different tacks on water supply

The three candidates for mayor of Charlottetown are suggesting different approaches to the city's water supply problem.

Environment Canada has warned the city that it is drawing too much water from its wellfield in the Winter River watershed. The city started drilling a new $16 million wellfield in Miltonvale Park earlier this year.

Philip Brown told CBC News that work should have started years ago. Brown argues the $18 million the city spent on filling in ditches over the last decade should have been spent on the wellfield.

"I'm not against ditch-in filling. What I'm against is that we must look at what are the big priorities and my priority is develop that second source of water," he said.

Incumbent Clifford Lee said the city wanted to tap into the federal funding, and the wellfield project was eligible.

"This financial plan we've stuck with, the City of Charlottetown, means that we're going to have no impact on water rates," said Lee.

"I don't think you could find many cities across Canada that have been able to do that."

Candidate Keith Kennedy does not support either approach. He believes rather than drilling another well residents should just use less water.

"We can save so much water by looking inward," said Kennedy.

"We don't have to all of sudden drill six new deep water wells, without first guaranteeing the communities around us that we're not going to suck their water dry."

While the city has applied to the Building Canada Fund for this new Miltonvale Park wellfield, there is no guarantee it will be approved.

For mobile device users: What is the best approach for Charlottetown's water supply issues?