The decision of making Saskatoon a Blue Community will be made at a future date as city councillors elected to withdraw the topic and discuss it a later time as more information is required from administration. More information includes the requirements to phase out the sale of bottled water at civic facilities including staff commitment and time frames, and the feasibility and affordability considering water rates prior to new rates being brought forward.
Becoming a Blue Community involves recognizing water and sanitation as a human right, phasing out bottled water sales and promoting publicly financed, owned and operated water services. The city administration’s recommendation to the Environment Committee was to continue to promote the listed aspects with the exception phasing out bottled water sales and instead promote the use of re-usable water bottles.
Although at Monday’s meeting, councillors showed interest in considering phasing out or reducing water bottled sales at civic facilities in the future. This resulting in the committee requesting for more information from administration prior to making a decision. No date has been set for when the matter will be brought forward again to the committee.