Over the summer, we have been reviewing the public input and further detailing out the proposed policy solutions, and assessing implications. Throughout this process we’ve received suggestions and ideas on an unprecedented scale and quality. Many British Columbians expressed a need for more detail on the policies and legislation than what we provided in the Policy Proposal.

In response, Government has committed to take more time to further engage with British Columbians in 2012 on draft legislation before it is finalized and introduced into the Legislature. We’ll be providing more information on upcoming engagement opportunities and our progress this fall so stay tuned!

Living Water Smart Team

 Robin Pike, Watershed Research Hydrologist, BC Ministry of Environment helps understand disturbances to water that affect ecosystems so that we can better manage our potential impacts.  “Of all the natural features in British Columbia,” Robin says. Water is our most important resource.”

Former Dawson Creek Mayor Calvin Kruk left a legacy that included a passion for water in the Peace that still echoes to this day.  Not only was he instrumental in leading water stewardship in his community, but he also championed the use of greener technologies to help reduce Dawson Creek’s carbon footprint.  Not surprisingly, in 2007 Calvin Kruk was named Solar Leader of the Year by the Canadian Solar Industries Association. Calvin passed away in 2008.

The current Mayor of Dawson Creek, Mike Bernier continues to champion Calvin’s legacy of smarter water use. When Dawson Creek faced a water shortage this past year, they worked together to overcome the crisis.  “People really stepped up when they needed to and were very creative and understanding in not watering lawns and how to be economical with the water,” Mayor Bernier said in an interview with Dawson Creek Daily News. “(We) always rely on snow and rain to provide us water. It’s a delicate resource.”

Do you know a Water Champion who you’d like us to feature? Leave a comment or send us an email and let us know who is leading water sustainability in your community.

Held in August 2010, the BC Water Symposium marked the beginning of the dialogue to create a Water Science Strategy. Over 200 people participated in the Symposium that was simulcast online and at locations in Prince George, Victoria, and Kelowna. This Symposium brought together a diverse group of leading experts that both create and use knowledge to manage water resources. The Symposium Proceedings are now available here.

What we heard at the Water Symposium will be used to inform the development of the Water Science Strategy. Not surprisingly, it is also consistent with the comments received to date as part of the Water Act Modernization and will also be considered as we move forward in developing the proposed Water Sustainability Act.

As a next step, the Ministry of Environment will facilitate the development of a draft Water Science Strategy framework which will be available for your comment in the summer of 2011.

Today’s Water champion Jody Watson is one of the most dedicated water sustainability advocates we’ve met. Not only does she work on projects applying water science to practical uses, like green roofs in her day job, but she volunteers her after hours time with water protection and sustainability projects.

 “Traditionally, rainwater was treated as a waste to be removed from the landscape as quickly as possible” Jody says.  “Future development will use more vegetated features, such as green roofs and boulevard raingardens, to manage rainwater and to better mimic the natural water cycle in the urban environment”.

 She continues “Healthy watersheds help create healthy communities. Everyone lives in a watershed and can do their part.  At work I have championed the installation of green roof and living wall features to reduce the amount of rainwater entering the storm system and the harbour environment.  At home I have planted native plants (which are adapted to our summer droughts) in place of a front lawn and I am starting to harvest rainwater to use in my garden ”.

 Hats off to you Jody!

Deputy Minister for the BC Ministry of Environment, Cairine MacDonald, is the Chair of the Council of the Federation Water Stewardship Council Working Group, inspiring her provincial and territorial deputy minister colleagues to realize the Canadian Premiers’ vision through the commitments of the Council of the Federation Water Charter.

“Local environmental stewardship initiatives are key to addressing water quality problems,” Ministry of Environment Water Quality Science Specialist, Kevin Rieberger says. “I support these efforts as a Director with the BC Lake Stewardship Society.” Kevin specializes in protecting aquatic life, drinking water sources, recreational values and other important water uses.

To find out what’s happening in BC for Canada Water Week, click here!

For the Policy Proposals, the first step is to analyze and synthesize all your input and use it to hone our policy direction. There are also outstanding questions that   require answers so we’ll follow up on those.

One of the questions we’ve been asked is: when you will be able to next comment on the Water Sustainability Act? We don’t know exactly when, and in what form it may take, but we are looking at  options.  We will keep you posted as we learn more.

Your response to this round of engagement has exceeded our expectations.  We took in over 400 comments on the Living Water Smart Blog. You also sent in more than 800 emails and letters. This total exceeds what we heard from you in our first round of Engagement – which is pretty exciting. We’re still processing your input – so these numbers will increase in the days ahead.

More than 21,000 British Columbians visited the Living Water Smart Blog and website from December 16, 2010 to today. 

The openness of this process means that you can also see everything that we’ve seen too. All submissions have been posted online on the Living Water Smart Website. You can see them here under “stage 2”.

All blog comments that we’ve received that met our moderation policy have also been posted online. You can see these here – in an RSS feed.

This style of engagement is new to government and new to many of you as well. We’ve heard from you about what’s worked and what you would like to see done differently.  We’ve noted your responses to our use of YouTube and how much additional proposed Water Sustainability Act conversation occurred in other blogs, on Facebook and on Twitter. We’ve also heard about the value that many of you place in meeting face-to-face.

Wordle of your comments on the Living Water Smart Blog, highlighting your key concerns.

As we begin the process of analysis and synthesis, the focus on the Living Water Smart Blog will shift to talk more about Living Water Smart initiatives and events like Canada Water Week. However, we will use the Blog to keep you up to date with policy developments and the next stages in the WAM process.

For us on the Living Water Smart team, your participation in this process has been exciting and inspirational. The ability to work together in building a sustainable future for British Columbia’s water is the key to achieving that future. 

Thank you for your time and passion!

• The Proposed Water Sustainability Act Framework
• Protecting Stream Health and Aquatic Environments
• Provincial Water Objectives and the Land-Water Connection
• Regulating Groundwater
• Regulation during times of Scarcity – a multi-stage approach
• Measuring and Reporting Water Use
• Improving Security, Water Use Efficiency and Conservation
• Enabling a Range of Governance Approaches

 We made 2 additional posts in an effort to address concerns you had about Water Markets and Privatization. In addition to the Blog, many of you have provided comments via email, fax and post.  We are making these submissions available on the Living Water Smart website.

Have some final thoughts? Please comment on the Blog or send an email to livingwatersmart@gov.bc.ca.

The Policy Proposal on BC’s new Water Sustainability Act includes a range of governance approaches to increase collaboration and participation in decisions and activities.  For example, the Act would provide the ability to delegate responsibility for some activities and decisions where there is interest and capacity. It will be important not to create a fragmented governance system across the province.   The key will be to build on the area-based framework, allow for flexibility, and respond to local conditions, interests and specific water management issues. This is really driven by a desire for more participation, increased transparency and achieving a balance that serves all British Columbians.

In the video below, Ted White explains.

What is your take on enabling a range of governance approaches? Will having a range of approaches achieve the balance required for a sustainable future? Let us know with your comments and questions.

As Ted White explains in the video below, the proposed Water Sustainability Act will help British Columbians to increase efficiency, water security and conservation with a series of powerful tools. These tools include economic instruments, best management practices, reinforcement of beneficial use requirements and the introduction of Agricultural Water Reserves.

Many of you have expressed strong concerns about tradeable permits – e.g., water markets as an economic instrument. Please be assured that we are reviewing your concerns very closely.  

We‘d also like to hear what you think about the other economic tools we’ve proposed, like fee-based measures, rebates, and liability and assurance regimes.

We’ve heard support for tying water use efficiency directly to the definition of beneficial use. Beneficial use means that the water use is to be without waste and is reasonably efficient. This is a requirement under the current Water Act and a condition of existing water licences. Placing even greater emphasis on efficient use in the proposed Water Sustainability Act would require water users to demonstrate how they’re efficiently using water as part of their licence. 

We have heard concerns that water savings resulting from more efficient practices will lead to reduced water allocations.  In part, the concept of Agriculture Water Reserves has been developed to address this concern.

While we can encourage water use efficiencies, without water users making better choices, we won’t be able to make real changes towards a more sustainable future.

Let us know your thoughts.

As Ted White explains in the video above, our goals when it comes to measuring and reporting are straightforward – you can’t manage what you don’t measure.  That’s why measuring and reporting is a key part of our Policy Proposal for BC’s new Water Sustainability Act.

Measuring and reporting on water use will help to pro­vide a more accurate picture of the water available and how much is being used. By requiring water users to measure and report we’ll all be better informed when we make water allocation and management decisions.  Users can also demonstrate that they are complying with the terms of their licence.  Measuring and reporting also provides a way to track our progress towards sustainability by allowing us to monitor improvements in  water use efficiency over time.

This doesn’t mean that everyone will have to install a meter. There are alternatives such as irrigation records and/or pumping records that could be used to provide information on water use.

What are your thoughts on measuring and reporting water use? Please let us know.

Under the current Water Act, water licences are granted according to the principle of First-in-Time First-in-Right or FITFIR.  The right to water from a particular stream is based on the priority date of the licence.  This means that when water is scarce, “senior” licensees (i.e., those holding licences with earlier priority dates) take precedence over “junior” licensees.

In many areas this arrangement has worked well over the years. In others, however, it has lead to conflict, and not enough emphasis on conservation.

Support for FITFIR and Priority of Use in our first round of engagement

In our first round of engagement, support was expressed for both a Priority of Use and FITFIR approach.

However, what was very clear was that British Columbians support a “hierarchy of uses.”  Water use for food production, drinking water, environmental flows as well as non-consumptive activities were high priorities.  You can read more about what British Columbians said about regulation during times of scarcity in our Report on Engagement.

Support for hierarchy of uses from our first round of engagement

As Ted White explains in this video, with the proposed Water Sustainability Act we’re looking to create a staged approach which emphasizes conservation and efficiency before moving to regulatory approaches.

When regulatory approaches are required, we’re proposing an approach that stages the use of planning tools, FITFIR and priority of use.

Tell us your thoughts on regulating in times of scarcity by commenting on the Living Water Smart Blog.

Since we released the Policy Proposal on Dec. 17, 2010, more than 6,000 of you have visited the Blog and we’ve received more than 320 comments.  You’ve also sent in 244 comments by email, letter and fax so far. You’ve been giving us clear feedback on what you like about our ideas and what you don’t.

We think it’s important to explain each piece of the proposed Water Sustainability Act in as much detail as we can. It’s pretty clear that you do too, as many of you have asked for more time for us to dialogue.

So, we’ve extended our timelines to provide more time to continue the conversation and gather your input.

The new deadline is March 14, 2011.

We thank you for your comments and questions so far, and look forward to hearing more from you over the next three weeks.

Protecting the safety and security of groundwater is essential to our communities. In addition to being used by one in four British Columbians for drinking water, groundwater is also used to help grow our food, and to create our products. In fact, it is estimated that we rank third in groundwater use, behind Ontario and Quebec.

Groundwater and surface water are often interconnected. Groundwater provides cold water flow to sustain streamflow during dry periods. Groundwater levels also help sustain wetlands and other aquatic ecosystems. Unlike surface water, groundwater use is not currently regulated under the Water Act. This isn’t fair, nor is it sustainable.

Regulating groundwater is one of the main reasons why it’s so important that we modernize the Water Act.

Given the clear linkage between groundwater and surface water, using a consistent approach to regulate both makes the most sense. In a follow up post, we’ll provide more information on how groundwater regulation could work under a new Water Sustainability Act.

In the meantime, please let us know your thoughts.

In BC, decisions on how land and water are used are made under a number of different laws, including the Forest and Range Practices Act, the Oil and Gas Activities Act, the Land Act, and the Water Act. However, in decision-making, consistency is key. Provincial Water Objectives will help provide a common “water lens” for decision makers across natural resource sectors and for all regions of BC. They will help guide how decision makers consider water in decisions, and will increase consistency in water management across BC.

What are Provincial Water Objectives and how do they protect the environment?

In this video, Ted White explains.

Provincial Water Objectives could include social, economic and environmental considerations for both surface and groundwater and would be measureable. Specific considerations would address water quality, water supply and demand, water access and security and ecological factors.

We’ll go into more detail about Provincial Water Objectives in a future blog post.

Please share your thoughts with us on Provincial Water Objectives and the land-water connection.

 The protection of stream health and aquatic environments is a key policy direction of the proposed Water Sustainability Act. The focus of this policy direction is instream flow requirements.

 So what is an instream flow?
 In this video Ted White explains:

The proposed Water Sustainability Act would require that instream flows be considered when water is allocated.  Instream flows would be legally protected as an environmental value. This will strengthen the protection of stream health and aquatic environments.

We welcome your comments and questions.

Water is owned by the Crown on behalf of all British Columbians. In addition, the Water Protection Act prohibits bulk water removal from the province.  This will not change and water will not be privatized under the proposed Water Sustainability Act, which is aimed at ensuring a sustainable future for BC’s water.

British Columbians continue to speak passionately about water. For example, Wendy expresses the importance of public control of BC’s water. And Lori reminds us about the need to manage water carefully for future generations.

The Policy Proposal on B.C.’s new Water Sustainability Act mentions water markets as one of a number of different tools to promote water use efficiency and conservation among water licensees, especially during times of drought and scarcity. They are emerging in a number of jurisdictions (e.g., Australia’s Murray‐Darling Basin) as a means to address water scarcity, improve efficiency and promote conservation.

Water rights trading and transfers could occur among existing water licensees in areas where water is in short supply on a short term basis. Trading and transfers could be restricted to a particular sector where the water conserved could be traded within the sector among existing users (e.g., agriculture). In another example, other water conserved could be used to improve water flows and protect ecosystems.

We acknowledge that to be successful water markets need to be supported with a robust system of water rights administration, effective measuring and reporting, water use planning and clear ground rules.  If we go there, water markets would only involve existing licenses in limited areas of the Province where water is in short supply. They would be carefully controlled and regulated.

Much of the leading thought and practice, including this informative piece from the Conference Board of Canada and Polis, point out that water rights trading and water markets – with the right ground rules – can free up more water for ecological protections by building flexibility into how particular sectors use water. But there are limitations and we would  need to proceed cautiously.

Some of you have read the post on the Ecojustice.ca blog and repeated elsewhere that suggests that the Water Sustainability Act proposes that “BC’s Water to be sold to highest bidder”.

We feel this is incorrect and misleading. We have submitted a comment to the Ecojustice blog directing readers to our Blog, and and thank the authors for posting it. It’s important that you know that the proposal is not about privatizing water.

We continue to welcome your comments and questions on any aspect of the Policy Proposal on B.C.’s new Water Sustainability Act.

A number of you have questioned the proposals around water markets and water rights trading.

As we noted in our response to an earlier blog comment, there is no intention to privatize BC’s water. Water is vested in the Crown under the current Water Act and this would not change in the proposed Water Sustainability Act.

In Section 5 of the Policy Proposal we’ve identified a range of economic instruments to improve security, water use efficiency and conservation.  These include fee-based measures, rebates, liability and assurance regimes and water markets.

Under the current Water Act there are already provisions for transferring a licence, changing the purpose it is used for, or extending rights for use by others.  These changes must be authorized by the Comptroller of Water Rights or Regional Water Manager and are subject to the conditions they deem advisable.  A notable example is BC Hydro’s authorization to extend use of a portion of its hydropower water right to provide water to Metro Vancouver.

Leading thought and practice, summarized in the Technical Background Report shows that a well designed market can provide flexibility that allows water to be shifted to other users or uses. Water markets may also enhance water flows thereby protecting ecosystems and species.  A water market can also be restricted to a particular sector such as agriculture where water conserved through efficiency gains or crop changes could be traded across the sector.  Government would establish basic ground rules and conduct audits of water markets to ensure that there are no negative impacts on the environment or other users.

We welcome your comments and questions.

New to the Water Act Modernization Discussion? Click here for background

In today’s post, Living Water Smart Team Member Ted White introduces the proposed Water Sustainability Act framework in greater detail. Your previous comments have helped shape this framework.

British Columbia is a geographically large area with a diverse hydrology and climate, and uneven population distribution.

As Ted discusses, the proposed Water Sustainability Act will have three levels of action for water management.  We’ll also go into each of the seven key policy areas that Ted has identified in greater detail in the weeks ahead.

In the meantime, please keep your comments and questions coming! We’ll be keeping the conversation here on the Living Water Smart Blog focused on the WSA until February 21, 2010.

New to the Water Act Modernization Discussion? Click here for background

On December 17, we released the Policy Proposal on British Columbia’s new Water Sustainability Act on the Living Water Smart Blog.  The paper summarizes the key policies we’re proposing  and the overall direction we’re heading.  Thanks for your great response so far! 

Starting tomorrow we’ll get into the proposed new Water Sustainability Act in greater detail. As we post more information on the Blog, we’ll ask you to pose your questions and share your comments on the proposed Act directly to the Blog.

During the next five weeks we’ll also be inviting you to rank the comments and questions that other British Columbians pose on the Blog. 

While emails, letters and faxes are fine too, we really encourage you to share your comments and questions through the Blog. Having the conversation on the Blog allows others to build on your ideas. It also allows you to view and rank other British Columbians’ comments and questions, which will help us better understand what’s important to you as we move forward with the WSA.  This question and comment period will be open until February 21.

New to the Water Act Modernization Discussion? Click here for background

The release of the Policy Proposal on British Columbia’s new Water Sustainability Act marked the start of the next opportunity to extend the dialogue on Water Act Modernization.  This opportunity is the direct result of your interest and requests for more participation in the policy development.

The aim of this dialogue is to create a more inclusive conversation, which is also why we’re using the Living Water Smart Blog as the focal point.      

Animation showing how how the Water Act Modernization process has been revised to provide additional opportunities for input.

Both our posts and your comments on the Living Water Smart Blog can be read by everyone involved in the conversation. During January the Living Water Smart team will explain the proposed Water Sustainability Act in greater detail through a series of posts on the Living Water Smart Blog.

We’re interested in both your comments on, and your questions about the proposed Water Sustainability Act . We’ll be responding to your comments and questions on the Blog itself. Other comments and questions received via email, letter or fax will be posted weekly on the Living Water Smart website – after personal information has been removed.

We’ll respond to commentary through these channels but strongly encourage you to participate in the conversation on the proposed Water Sustainability Act on the Living Water Smart Blog, so your voice can be heard by all.

New to the Water Act Modernization Discussion? Click here for background

Today, we are pleased to release our Policy Proposal on British Columbia’s new Water Sustainability Act and welcome you to join us in the next phase of Water Act modernization.

The paper outlines the proposed Water Sustainability Act (WSA), which updates and builds on the current Water Act.  Shaped by the combined input of British Columbians, Ministry staff and external advisors from a range of sectors, the WSA responds to current and future pressures on water, and positions B.C. as a leader in water stewardship. The Policy Proposal summarizes the overall framework and key features of the WSA.

Click here to read the Policy Proposal on a New Water Sustainability Act

All British Columbians have a role to play in ensuring a sustainable future for water. We’d like your feedback on the Policy Proposal to help us make sure we are continuing to move in the right direction. 

Beginning in January 2011, Ministry of Environment staff will explain key features of the WSA in greater detail on the Living Water Smart Blog.

We’ll be providing more information on the engagement process in the coming weeks. In the meantime, thank you for your patience and for your commitment to water stewardship. Together, we can build a sustainable future for British Columbia’s water resources.

Water isn’t just a local issue, a watershed issue, or even a province-wide issue; it’s a global issue. The choices that we all make about how we use water here in BC have an impact around the world that can resonate years into the future. Many British Columbian bloggers have already recognized the importance of the issue.

Jeffery Young, an aquatic biologist with the David Suzuki Foundation, blogged about his group’s Water Act modernization (WAM) submission back in May 2010. More recently, Michael Lathuillière, of UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability  , added his voice to the conversation in a blog post about WAM’s incremental progress.  The OurWaterBC blog – a joint initiative organization of BC groups who are passionate about water – was also launched recently. These voices all add robustness to the ongoing dialogue on the future of BC’s water.

Working together is the only way that we can successfully address the challenges and secure a sustainable future for BC’s water. As new opportunities for comment on WAM proposals are announced this fall, we’ll be looking to you to work with us to gather specific feedback. In the meantime, let us know when you post about water for Blog Action Day.

The Christina Lake Wastewater facility is a closed, solar power system which treats wastewater by mimicing a wetland

“The ecological wastewater treatment facility, which uses the power of the sun, will mimic a wetland system,” Grace McGregor, Regional District Kootenay Boundary Area C Director, says. “It will use fish, snails, microbes and plants to treat sewage and wastewater without the use of chemicals.” 

WAM ROE 1-8 Exe Summary and Contents

WAM ROE 9-12 Part One

WAM ROE 13-16 Part OneA 

WAM ROE 17-24 Part Two

WAM ROE 25-32 Part TwoA

WAM ROE 33-50 Part Three

WAM ROE 51-69 Part ThreeA

WAM ROE 70-73 Part Four

WAM ROE 74-78 Part FourA

**EDIT – for dial-up and mobile wireless friendly versions of the Report on Engagement, click here**

Click Here to download the Report on Engagement

The purpose of this Report is to reflect back what we heard from you on Water Act Modernization.  We heard from more than 1500 respondents from around the Province and elsewhere. Your role in this process has been vital. We’ve been sure to provide due care and attention to each and every submission. 

The Report on Engagement is designed to highlight the key, recurring trends in all the input that we’ve received. Each submission was reviewed and analyzed.  At all stages in this process, we’ve been sure to maintain a personal connection to your input, relying on our team to champion each and every submission.   

We have also posted all the written submissions that we received.  Shortly, we’ll also be posting the notes from the Multi-stakeholder and First Nations  engagement workshops. Input from these workshops was paired with WAM submissions to make sure we heard you correctly. 

There is also a high degree of public interest  in Water Act modernization  and we’ve heard many requests for more participation. We’re pleased to tell you that Government is responding and will be announcing further opportunities to comment later this year. In the meantime, please continue to comment on the Living Water Smart Blog, and visit the Living Water Smart website so we can continue to work together to build a sustainable water future for all British Columbians. 

Click here to see all WAM submissions

Ken Matthews, Chair and CEO of Australia’s National Water Commission delivers the keynote address

For the past three days, some of BC’s best water science experts have been meeting at the BC Water Science Symposium to help build a water science strategy for the province. Leading scientists, policy experts, First Nations and members of the community have come together in person and online to build a shared vision of our water science strategy and its actions. Simulcast online and at locations in Victoria, Prince George and Kelowna, the Symposium has brought together experts not just from BC, but from around the world.

 In his key note address, Ken Matthews, Chair and CEO of Australia’s National Water Commission stressed the importance of continued collaboration between groups as the most important factor for addressing Australia’s water concerns. This need for continued collaboration has been echoed by other speakers and several panel sessions over the past few days. Importantly, Grand Chief Steward Phillip’s opening address identified collaboration that brings together the best of the First Nations’ traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and the best of western water science as our strongest asset in building a secure water future for all British Columbians.

 If you were unable to attend the conference or would like to know more, we’re gathering presenters’ power points and conference recordings which we’ll post here in the near future.

Play your part in developing BC’s innovative Water Science Strategy and help secure and manage our fresh water supply for future generations! Connected live through 3 locations, this event will be a mix of break‐out discussions, plenary talks, panel discussions, networking breaks, public lectures and poster receptions. Come connect with BC’s leading scientists!

**EDIT – RSVP to the Symposium on the BC Environmental Management Page on Facebook **

If you sent in a submission via email fax or letter, you should have received a response both acknowledging that we’ve heard from you, and thanking  you for your contribution. If you haven’t received a follow-up email or letter, please either email us, or give us a call at 250.387.4737.

There will be much more in the coming days and weeks on the next steps in the Water Act Modernization process, including the release of our Report on Engagement – the record of what we’ve heard from British Columbians.  Stay tuned!

One of the ways to stay connected to the latest news about water is to “Like” the BC Environmental Management page on Facebook. In the coming weeks we’re hoping to connect with you more using the Province’s new channels to stay connected. In cases of drought, timely information is essential to successfully managing the impacts.  Facebook, and other social media channels like Twitter and the Living Water Smart blog enable timely, conversational interactions which help us work together in managing British Columbia’s water resources. 

The impacted area

The Ministry of Environment has some fantastic information on how to effectively manage when water supplies are low and is developing a Drought Response Plan to guide government actions in the coming months. There are tips for agricultural users as well as residential ones. In the meantime, here’s a pretty straightforward tip – if you want to conserve water in a way that’s really effective, don’t water your lawn.

Submissions by Stakeholder Groups & First Nations - total 1008- Click to Enlarge

When we started the process of asking British Columbians to tell us what is needed to modernize the Water Act, we were sure that you’d respond. What has impressed us here at the Living Water Smart Team is the importance that you place on our fresh water resources. We share your passion! To see the levels of input that we have has been truly inspirational.

So far, we’ve tallied a total of 1008 submissions on Water Act Modernization. That’s a lot! Most of these submissions came by email from individual British Columbians. Stakeholder group submissions by email made up the next largest chunk of submissions. These were followed closely by submissions through our online forms. Next came submissions by comment to the Living Water Smart Blog. As you can see, we’ve had a wide range of submissions through many conduits.

We’re now in the process of breaking down your submissions even further. We’ll use the Living Water Smart Blog to report out our findings. We’re already seeing some key themes, but we want to make sure that they’re echoed across all the submissions before we start announcing them.

We’re also balancing our methodology. Some of the data we’ve received is quantitative - pure numbers. Much of it is qualitative – comment, and opinion. So, we’re undertaking measures to champion that comment and opinion, identify the similarities between comments, and highlight your collective vision for modernizing BC’s Water Act. It’s a challenging process. Our plan is to provide you our Report on Engagement by the end of June, 2010.

That’s a short timeline so we’d like to know how it should look:

What would you like to see in the Report on Engagement? What are the key areas you want to be sure that we address in reporting back to you what is said? What is the best format to bring the report to you?

April 30th marked the deadline for formal submissions to the Water Act Modernization process. Engaging with British Columbians has been exciting, dynamic, informative and deeply meaningful for us on the Living Water Smart Team. Your participation has made this stage profoundly valuable. Time and again, we asked you for your input. Time and again, you delivered.  And how!

• More than 650 participants registered for our 12 multi-stakeholder and First Nations engagement workshops. Each of these sessions produced many pages of feedback including comments, questions, suggestions and break-out session reports – in all, over 200 pages of direct feedback!
• We’ve received more than 650 email and online feedback form submissions
• We’ve received more than 50 mailed and faxed submissions
• We’ve received more than 85 comments here on the Living Water Smart blog – more than 70 of these are submission level comments.

We’re in the midst of summarizing all your input and will follow up with all who’ve submitted to confirm we’ve heard you. While electronic submissions are fastest for us to reply to, the sheer volume and high quality of comments means it may take us a while. Rest assured, we will treat all forms of submission with equal value and have a firm commitment to you to reflect what we’ve heard.

Your voices are the most important part of Water Act Modernization. You’ve trusted us with your thoughts, ideas, fears and hopes. That trust means a great deal to our team. Part of keeping that trust safe is making sure that you know what we’re doing with your insights. Our next step is to bring it all together and then report back to you what we’ve heard. We’ll be completing a Report on Engagement in June and will use the Living Water Smart Blog to keep you posted on what we’re hearing,  and how Water Act Modernization is progressing.  As they come available, we will be posting the notes and outputs from the multi-stakeholder and First Nations workshops.  Please visit the blog often to check for the latest updates and to continue the conversation on modernizing the Water Act.

There is only one day left to make submissions to the Water Act Modernization process – our deadline is April 30th. Your input is vital to the success of a renewed Water Act for all British Columbians. That is why we here on the Living Water Smart team have built many different avenues for you to have your say.

The best way to make an informed submission is to review the Water Act Modernization Discussion Paper, and, if you’re technically inclined, the Technical Background Report. The Discussion Paper is the tool we’ve been using to frame the discussion in our multi-stakeholder and First Nations workshops, and forms the basis for our Online Feedback Form. We are also gathering information from the workshops, but want to provide as many opportunities as possible to get your input.

Click to download the Discussion Paper

Click to download the Techical Background Report

So how can you make a submission?

• Comment on the Living Water Smart Blog.
• Fill out the Online Feedback Form
• Send us an email at livingwatersmart@gov.bc.ca
• Send us a formal submission via mail or fax:

Water Act Modernization

Innovation and Planning Team

Ministry of Environment

PO BOX 9362 STN PROV GOVT

Victoria, BC V8W 9M2

Fax:  250-356-1202

We’re in the midst of summarizing all the input we’ve received so far and will follow up with all who’ve submitted to let you know we’ve heard you. We prefer electronic submissions as they are faster for us to process, easier to share and fastest reply to. However, all forms of submission are treated with equal value, and what we’ve received so far has been great. You don’t have to choose only one method of getting in touch with us – the more you tell us, the more we can help improve the Water Act for all.

UPDATE – April 23, 5:00 PM

As we close up our day and begin the journey home, we often take a moment to reflect on how we can improve on the process for the next session. This time is different however, as this Vancouver session is the last of our scheduled multi-stakeholder workshops. Instead, we’re spending some time reflecting on the way forward, on the next steps in our process. We’ve committed to reflecting back to you what we’ve heard from British Columbians– there will be more posts on these next steps in future Living Water Smart Blog posts.  In the meantime, we want to take this moment to thank everyone for their time and efforts in helping improve Water Act Modernization, for all British Columbians and encourage you to provide a written submission by April 30, 2010.

Brian Symonds of the Ministry of Environment thanks our Vancouver participants

April 21, 3:30 PM

Often some of the most valuable input from the multi-stakeholder engagement sessions comes after the second break-out session, in which we all re-gather as a group to share what we’ve learned. This is when key themes that have been identified across groups come to the forefront in discussion, and we collect more submission notes.

In addition to discussions in small groups and the large plenary group, one of the other tools we use are posters at the back of the main room with sticky notes on them.  Here participants share brief, direct statements on how to improve the Water Act for all British Columbians. These statements often capture the essence of the discussion or nuggets that might have been missed in discussion.

Valuable contributions

 April 21, 1:30 PM

 Break-out sessions are one of the important tools we use in the multi-stakeholder workshops to facilitate focussed discussion on key issues. The Living Water Smart team leads discussions with separate, smaller groups, on each of the four  goals identified in the Discussion Paper. Workshop participants are provided with the opportunity to join two sessions during the workshop; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning sessions were lively with interesting discussions in all four groups.  The afternoon sessions are currently ongoing, and also look promising.

LWS Team members Donna and Zita facilitate a break-out session

April 21, 11:30 AM  

Principles

The  Discussion Paper is the product of many months’ hard work. It’s a professional looking package and in some cases, that professionalism has raised concerns that Water Act Modernization was already decided upon. This isn’t the case – the Discussion Paper is our best efforts at framing the issues as we understand them. What’s most important is the input from British Columbians like yourself.  

April 21, 2010/8:38 AM  

Arrivals

 Today’s session has one of the highest numbers of attendees of any of the sessions so far. The room is bustling with British Columbians from First Nations, NGOs, Environment groups, various levels of Government and concerned business people, stakeholders and citizens. Our facilitator Dan George is about to start speaking so we’re getting underway – more to come!

Water Act Modernization Session underway in Langley, BC

We’ll have more updates for you on the session in coming posts. However, this session will be different as we’re going to be experimenting with new ways to enhance your voice in the Water Act moderinization process.  At the Langley session we’ll be taking photographs, recording comments and shooting video. One of the new venues that we’re most excited about is the creation of a short video consisting of 15-20 second clips in which we ask Engagement Session participants to answer the question:

“What is the most important part of Water Act modernization to you – why did you take time out to be here?”

We’re still testing our abilities to do so, but if we’re successful we’ll be looking to post this video, along with social media influenced reporting on session content here, in the Living Water Smart Blog. After all, the goal that we at the Living Water Smart team are seeking is engaging you in conversation about how we can work together to make sure that the new, modernized Water Act serves British Columbians for years to come. We live in a diverse province and it is the diversity of our voices that creates much of the bounty that we all share. We’re hoping to capture your voices to help us serve you better.

There is still room available in some of our future multi-stakeholder workshop sessions. If you would like to attend one, let us know. Read the Water Act modernization Discussion Paper, and when you’re done, submit your opinion via our Feed Back Survey you don’t have to attended one of our sessions to do so. We’re looking to hear from all British Columbians, which includes you, too.

The Water Act Modernization team hosted workshops in Nanaimo on March 5 and Prince George on March 8.  Our hope was to draw a diverse group to vital discussions on modernizing the Water Act and British Columbians did not disappoint. Both sessions were well attended; the Nanaimo session attracted over 80 people and more than 20 participated in Prince George. More important than the numbers of participants, the backgrounds and expertise that participants represented  made for thought-provoking and wide ranging discussions. It was particularly rewarding to see communities come together to address these important issues. The enthusiasm was palpable  in the room as participants discussed the value of water and the principles for a modernized Water Act.

In both Nanaimo and Prince George, workshop participants placed a high value on water for reasons as varied as ecosystem protection, drinking water and as a business input.  There were clear calls for a greater role in water management and for more collaboration between public and private sectors and First Nations.  The importance of integrating land and water management was also a common theme.  Participants noted that water quality and quantity are influenced by all of the activities that occur in a watershed.  As such, many workshop respondents reported that management should occur on a watershed basis.

In particular, strong representation by Gulf Island residents at the Nanaimo session demonstrated that great interest exists in protecting groundwater.  The participants at these workshops didn’t focus only on the present, but also highlighted the need for flexibility in the allocation system so our province can better adapt to changing conditions and needs in the years ahead.  In addition, participants pointed to the need for third party oversight in governance roles and responsibilities.

The dialogue started at these workshops has provided valuable input to the Water Act modernization process, however it doesn’t end there. Let’s continue these conversations and build on what we’ve started together. We invite you to read through the Water Act modernization Discussion Paper, and have your say. If you haven’t yet joined a discussion, consider attending one of our multi-stakeholder workshops (space is limited!) and comment on this and other posts in the Living Water Smart Blog.

Who should attend?

To ensure that a diversity of interests and issues are fully explored, we invite representatives from a range of sectors including: 

• Water licensees
• Local and senior governments
• Riparian landowners 
• Water supply organizations
• Environmental NGOs
• Academic institutions
• Industry sectors
• Recreation groups
• First Nations
• Professional associations and unions

Session Location 

The Coast Hotel & Convention Centre

20393 Fraser Highway

Langley, BC  V3A 7N2

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The Water Act is the primary water law in BC requiring licences for all water uses, except for limited domestic and prospecting uses, and the use of ground water which is not presently regulated.  Water supplies for future needs may be protected by water reserves and Water Management Plans may be developed and implemented to address conflicts.

Water that flows across BC’s borders may be subject to international laws and treaties or interprovincial agreements. In national and provincial parks water is a protected natural resource and its use is restricted or prohibited.  Water use or construction of instream works may also be restricted to ensure protection of fish habitat and navigation as required by federal laws.  The Water Protection Act prohibits the bulk removal of water from BC except in containers of 20 litres or less.  Water bottling is subject to federal health regulation.

Drinking water protection in BC is a public health issue.  The Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport, along with Regional Health Authorities, protect drinking water quality through the Drinking Water Protection Act .

BC’s water law framework includes the regulation of land-based activities to protect water resources.  Forest and range activities must be carried out in a way that avoids impacts on water quality, particularly in community watersheds and adjacent to fish bearing streams.  Mining, mineral exploration and oil and gas development activities are also regulated to avoid adverse effects on water sources.

The development of private land may be subject to zoning and other local government bylaws.  Official community plans and regional growth strategies can also take water needs into account and ensure steps are taken to avoid detrimental effects on water resources.

Protection of public safety from some of the hazards associated with water is an important part of the framework.  The owners of dams are responsible for safe operation and maintenance of their dams and must regularly carry out inspections.  Regional governments use by-laws to restrict development of lands that may flood.  There are large areas in the province where development has already occurred on land that is subject to a flood risk.  A system of dikes provides protection from floods for much of that land and provincial laws ensure the dikes are properly maintained.

While there is not much we can do about the complexity of the hydrologic cycle, we would like to hear your ideas on ways to make the legal framework simpler to understand and easier to administer.  Record your comments here.

The Discussion Paper outlines opportunities for using, sustaining and managing water resources in a changing environment and has been developed to encourage dialogue on ways to modernize the Water Act.  The Discussion Paper proposes principles to underpin a modernized Water Act and presents goals, supporting objectives and possible solutions. 

The paper and does not present any preferred option or position. It is designed to help you prepare a response or submission and includes links and references to other information sources.

The way we manage water is everyone’s business and we invite you to share your views on the ideas and possible solutions presented in the Discussion Paper.  Submissions may be completed online, emailed to livingwatersmart@gov.bc.ca or sent to: Water Act Modernization; Ministry of Environment, Water Stewardship Division, PO Box 9362 Stn, Prov Govt, Victoria, BC, V8W 9M2. The closing date for submissions is April 30, 2010.

Options and solutions presented in the Discussion Paper and raised through submissions will also be discussed on this blog. Your input is also welcome into this discussion. Options and solutions will also be discussed at regional multi-stakeholder workshops and First Nations sessions being held around the Province in March and April 2010. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

John Slater, MLA Boundary-Similkameen
Parliamentary Secretary for Water Supply and Allocation

• Nanaimo – March 5
• Prince George March 8
• Kamloops – March 11
• Kelowna – March 12
• Abbotsford – March 29 • Smithers – April 13
• Nelson – April 16
• Fort St. John – April 20
• Vancouver – April 21

These workshops are designed to share information, discuss principles for the Water Act and explore proposals for change.  The main focus of the workshops is to explore options and solutions for change proposed in a public discussion paper, to be released in February. 

When released, the discussion paper will be available on the Living Water Smart website with a notice posted to this blog and an email sent to stakeholders on our register.

If you would like to be on our register or are interested in attending one of the workshops please email livingwatersmart@gov.bc.ca with details of which workshop you would like to attend, the organization you represent, and your contact information including phone and email address.

Seating at the workshops is limited and it is possible that not all requests can be accommodated.  Participant selection will ensure that the widest range of interests and issues are represented and explored at each session.

Sector representatives that we anticipate participating include:
• Water licensees
• Water supply organizations
• Industry sectors
• Professional associations and unions
• First Nations • Environmental NGOs
• Recreation groups
• Riparian landowners
• Academic institutions
• Local and senior governments

Summaries of workshop discussions will be posted to this blog to provide those unable to attend workshops with an opportunity to participate in the dialogue.  Sessions specifically for First Nations are also being planned.  Dates and locations will be confirmed soon.

Water builds up as condensation in the clouds causing precipitation and eventually rain. Rain falls onto the land and what doesn’t get absorbed by our soil and plants runs off into our rivers, aquifers and oceans. The heat from the sun makes the plants transpire and waterways evaporate filling the clouds with condensation again.   

How are we using our water?
Plants, humans and animals all use our water. In BC there are currently about 44,000 water licences authorizing the diversion, use, and storage of water. These uses range from agriculture, aquaculture, industrial and commercial, mining, water power to domestic use. Water is also allocated for conservation and land improvement. 

In BC we consume an average of 490 litres per day, while the average Canadian uses 330 litres a day. This includes the water we use for drinking, showering, and washing our clothes and dishes.

Water is also consumed by plants and animals. During the summer a mature pine tree consumes about 20 litres a day. Beef cattle need about 45 litres per day and dairy cattle need about 135 litres per day.

The amounts of water humans, plants and animals use increases by one and a half to two times on a hot day.

What sources of water are we using?
Water is sourced from both underground and surface water systems for these uses. In BC there are more than 291,000 unique watersheds. Our largest river is the Fraser, which runs 1 368 kms from the Rockies to the Pacific Ocean. Our largest lake is Wiliston Lake (reservoir) in BC’s Peace River region.

Despite all the rivers and lakes in British Columbia 750,000 residents get their drinking water from ground water. Ground water comes from aquifers, large deposits of water underground. Ground water sometimes rises or can as a result of gravity be fed into springs, streams or wells. Pumps and a variety of drilling techniques can be used to feed ground water into wells.

Treatment plants work to make our drinking water safe and limit the impact of our waste water on the environment.

Water for BC: Safe, Sustainable and Valued by all
BC’s water system is complex, and our needs and values are shifting.  Over the next 25 years the population of B.C. is expected to grow by 1.4 million people and our climate is changing.

The challenges in the 21st century are very different to those of last century. Already, about 5000 water sources in BC have identified water shortages and restrictions.

Living Water Smart looks at ways we can improve the way we use water and through Water Act Modernization Government we will be examining how our water sources are managed and protected for human, plant and animal use.

Do you know where your water comes from? Are you using surface water or ground water? How much water do you use a day?  Have you noticed changes to your watershed? How can we best address the needs of the future?

Already in the discussion that’s occurred to date we’re seeing different interests present themselves. Comments introduced on the blog so far have raised a range of interests including:

• The need for greater economic security for the agriculture sector
• The effects of climate change on water
• The need to protect our ground water resources
• The importance of examining all the laws that affect how water is managed in BC
• The benefits of conservation and watershed protection

Each of these comments speaks to an issue.  We are interested to hear more and invite you to offer your thoughts about these issues. What sort of balance would you strike between them to help make a modernized Water Act fair, effective, and future focused?

John Slater, MLA Boundary-Similkameen
Parliamentary Secretary, Water Supply and Allocation

As the Parliamentary Secretary for Water Supply and Allocation, my role is to champion Water Act modernization and develop viable alternatives and policy options to present to government for consideration.

The Water Act is the primary law for managing the diversion and use of water resources and has a key role in the sustainability of BC’s water resources. As many of you have noted, modernizing the Water Act is an important part of the Living Water Smart plan.

Modernizing the Water Act is about making our water laws simpler to understand, communicate, administer and enforce to respond to current and future challenges. The following four goals will shape the Water Act review:

• Protecting stream health and aquatic environments
• Improving water governance arrangements
• Introducing more flexibility and efficiency in the water allocation system
• Regulating ground water use in priority areas and for large withdrawals

In addition to this blog, a public discussion paper will be released within the next month, followed by regional workshops planned for February and March. More information about these sessions will be provided as dates and locations are confirmed.

I am committed to engaging openly and transparently so that all stakeholders, First Nations and the public have an opportunity to observe or participate in the development of water policy. At times, I will also call on the advice of some of you as key sector representatives and technical experts.

Like Minister Penner, I encourage you to get involved.  To join the discussion all you have to do is select comment and tell me what you think.  Please observe our Terms of Use and note that all comments posted to the blog will be reviewed in accordance with the Moderation Policy.

I look forward to hearing from you.

John Slater, MLA Boundary-Similkameen

Living Water Smart

Water is essential to all British Columbians and our environment.  In the next 25 years, it is projected the province’s population will grow by about 1.4 million people, placing an even greater demand on our water resources.  At the same time, we must respond and adapt to climate change while ensuring we do not compromise nature’s needs.

Recognizing this challenge, the B.C. government is embarking on a process of modernizing the Water Act. A key element of this process is to reach out to as many British Columbians to hear your ideas about how best to manage our most important natural resource.

Embarking on the modernization of the Water Act builds on our previous accomplishments and legislative changes.  For example, legislation brought into force in 2009 was used for the first time to restrict water withdrawals during low river flows to protect fish populations.  We have also been working closely with both the agriculture sector and groundwater users to promote water conservation and make regulatory improvements.

The Living Water Smart blog is an important tool in encouraging dialogue on options for legislative change in modernizing B.C.’s Water Act – which turns 101 years old in 2010.

I encourage you to get involved and join the conversation. Please make a comment and check this site often for updates on how B.C. is working to protect and preserve our precious water resources.

Barry Penner,
Minister of Environment