Water is an essential part of Suncor's operations. We use water in the bitumen extraction process, as cooling and process water during upgrading, and to generate steam at our in situ operations. Our two refineries also require water for heating and cooling. We know it is a precious resource that must be managed wisely. Our commitment to sustainable development means balancing our company's water requirements with the need to maintain a clean, safe and plentiful supply of this important natural resource.

We have made significant strides in reducing our water consumption. In fact, we've sustained a 22 percent reduction in total water use at our oil sands operations over six years. With continued development of the oil sands, we are committed to reducing our water use further through internal consumption efficiency measures and recycling.

We recognize the need to minimize our water consumption wherever possible and have not waited for regulators to impose limits before acting. Although our water withdrawal from the Athabasca is currently less than 0.3 percent of the river's flow, we're making concerted efforts to use less water.

As part of our environmental excellence strategy, we are reinforcing a water conservation ethic for all operations and all employees. We plan to set internal targets and report to stakeholders on our progress in meeting them. We also continue to explore new technologies and pursue integrated watershed management in areas where we operate.

We believe we can maintain Athabasca River water usage within our current license by recycling wastewater streams, which in turn reduces total river water usage. Future technology is also expected to reduce excess water being sent to tailings, which will help with reclamation performance.

Water is also incorporated into our reclamation plans. Approximately 20 percent of the final reclaimed mining footprint will feature wetlands that will support waterfowl and boreal forest mammals. Through the Suncor Energy Foundation, we also invest in other wetlands initiatives by groups such as Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Alberta Conservation Association and Alberta RiverWatch.

Beyond our own plant gates, Suncor is helping to address the cumulative effects of development. We are an active member of the Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program (RAMP), a multi-stakeholder forum that assesses water quality and flow in the rivers and lakes of northeast Alberta. RAMP has detected no impacts to the Athabasca River ecosystem due to oil sands production. Results from other water bodies in the region also showed no significant changes to surface water quality.

We remain committed to working with industry partners, governments and others to ensure future generations enjoy a plentiful and safe supply of this most critical resource