On April 28, 2023, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas announced an amendment to the Water (Ministerial) Regulation. Details will be available on the ministry’s water legislation and guidelines webpage.
Under specified conditions, stormwater diversions of less than 6250 cubic metres per year are now exempt from requiring a Water Act licence. This simplifies the regulation of water diversions for small volumes associated with stormwater runoff and supports achieving the goals of the Water Conservation Policy for Upstream Oil and Gas Operations. The exemption only applies to the diversion of water. All other regulatory requirements for the management, handling, and release of water continue to apply.
If you have any questions, contact our Customer Contact Centre by phone at 1-855-297-8311 or by email at inquiries@aer.ca.