Water Conservation Strategy
1.1 Introduction
Overall, British Columbians enjoy reliable sources of water. More than 24,000 rivers, creeks and lakes provide water for use in homes, farms, and industries as well as for power generation. Ground water aquifers are also an important source of water for over 600,000 people around the province.
 Despite the apparent abundance of water in B.C., our water supply is not as plentiful as we would like to think. Over 17% of our surface water sources have reached, or are nearing, their capacity to reliably supply water for extractive uses. Long-term trends of observation wells indicate that ground water levels are declining in some areas of the province and over one-third of our aquifers are vulnerable to contamination. While the water supply situation is not a serious problem for many communities, these figures tell us that the availability of a healthy, sustainable and plentiful water resource can no longer be presumed.
Many factors including climate, population growth, water quality and infrastructure costs have an effect on the availability and reliability of our water supply. Extractive water uses also have an effect on fish and aquatic habitats as well as water recreation and transportation uses. To ensure sufficient water for both human and ecological needs, it is imperative that British Columbians move toward a more sustainable and strategic approach to managing water use.
In the fall of 1997, the Ministry of Environment initiated the development of a Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia. The purpose of this Strategy is to ensure sufficient water for all uses through efficient utilization of the resource, and to encourage a more comprehensive approach to managing water supply systems. An interagency working group was formed to develop the Strategy (see the list of Working Group members on page 2 and Terms of Reference in Appendix 1). The Working Group represents federal and provincial agencies; local governments; utilities; water managers; professional associations and special water use interests.
The Strategy provides guidance and direction from two perspectives. Provincially, the Strategy recommends joint actions aimed at reducing commonly experienced constraints, creating opportunities, collaborating and sharing resources. Locally, the Strategy offers a general framework and menu of water use efficiency tools from which to begin assessing water supply and demand management needs. This document encourages the selection and implementation of water use efficiency initiatives to match local circumstances.
The Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia has been developed primarily for elected officials, government agencies, water utilities, suppliers and managers, but should also be of interest to all users. As part of long term planning, water use efficiency measures can substantially contribute to:
- accommodating future economic development and population growth;
- reducing or deferring costs of maintaining and expanding water delivery, treatment and disposal systems;
- reducing energy and maintenance costs;
- ensuring sufficient water flow for both in-stream and downstream extractive uses; and
- maintaining riparian habitats and aquatic ecosystems.
British Columbia is already on its way to becoming efficient in its water-use. The Working Group commissioned a survey of regional districts, municipalities and selected irrigation and improvement districts to ascertain the extent of, and experience with water use efficiency initiatives throughout the province. It discovered that 76% of the 127 respondents have already developed, or are in the process of creating water use efficiency programs (see summary in Appendix 2). However, successful implementation of the Water Conservation Strategy will require a province-wide, coordinated and effective commitment with active participation from both the communities and the economic sectors.
This report is the first step toward ongoing actions. It is up to all of us — every user, water authority and supplier — to use our valuable water resource efficiently and responsibly.
1.2 Goals and Objectives
 The Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia will contribute to a sustainable and healthy resource by providing a common framework for water management activities throughout the province. It advances water as a valuable resource to be utilized efficiently, wisely and cost-effectively to sustain a high quality of social, environmental and economic well being, for now and in the future.
The goal of the Strategy is to identify and promote supply and demand-side management measures for use by municipalities, water purveyors, drawers and users throughout the province, while recognizing regional differences.
The objectives of the Strategy are:
- To demonstrate the need for and benefits of improved water use efficiency measures;
- To reinforce the value of British Columbia's water resource;
- To present a menu of water use efficiency tools and techniques;
- To identify, acknowledge and learn from water use efficiency initiatives in British Columbia;
- To guide the development of provincial and local legislation, policies, guidelines and standards to improve water use efficiency;
- To engage community leaders, water managers, government agencies, water utilities, suppliers and the public in addressing water supply issues through creative partnerships; and
- To recommend next steps for advancing water use efficiency in British Columbia.
1.3 Challenges
British Columbia has changed significantly over the past two decades. Increasing demand for water, as a result of population growth and economic development, is altering water levels and aquatic ecosystems. Water quality problems caused by intensive land use further reduce the availability of drinking water. These and other factors combined with aging waterworks and infrastructure are, or soon will be, placing considerable stress on our water supply systems and public expenditures.
What specific challenges and limitations do we currently face?
Availability of water is constrained by biophysical conditions
When we pour a glass of water, we're tapping into the earth's hydrological cycle. Although water is a renewable resource, the time it takes for rivers, lakes, and ground water aquifers to replenish themselves varies dependent on the source. Climatic and seasonal weather variations also significantly affect water availability from region to region and through time. In British Columbia several ground water aquifers are nearing water use capacity (Figure 1). These limitations of the natural system to supply and recycle water need to be recognized.
The availability of water for human uses is also limited by the need to leave water in place to maintain aquatic ecosystems. The more water removed, the less there is to sustain aquatic habitats and to support water-related activities.
The pressure for water is rising
Though water bodies are numerous in British Columbia, only a small number of those are available for water usage. As a result, competing demands for that water are causing water shortages and decreased water quality in some regions of the province (Figure 2).
B.C.'s population is growing by 100,000 persons per year (B.C. Ministry of Municipal Affairs, 1995) (Figure 3). By the time today's pre-schoolers graduate from high school, British Columbia could have another one million residents living in up to 500,000 new homes and apartments. The additional population will increase demand for water and will continue to put pressure on nearby water sources.
Water rates may not reflect the full costs of supplying water
Water supply and treatment systems are expensive to build, maintain and upgrade. Currently, residential customers in B.C. pay an average of $250 annually for water (Environment Canada 1996). For individuals wanting to draw water from a waterbody for domestic use, the cost of a surface water licence is currently $19 per year.
The actual costs of supplying water include more than just what a water purveyor or municipality pays to install, maintain and deliver an existing water supply service. In addition to direct water supply costs, there are indirect environmental costs, energy costs, costs accrued by support agencies through funding programs, future development costs, and sewage and water treatment costs. These costs may not be incorporated into retail water charges throughout the province. Related equity issues, such as who pays and who benefits, are increasingly drawing attention to the need to account for these externalized costs.
Future costs for improvement and expansion of services will soon become critical factors as aging infrastructure requires replacement. The 1996 Report on the State of Municipal Infrastructure in Canada found that, on average, B.C.'s water distribution and supply systems were the second oldest in the nation, with an average age of 37 years old. This can be compared with the expected life span of 25 years for mechanical systems. Approximately 17% of the total budget authorized under the Local Government Grants Act is allocated to assist B.C. municipalities and regional districts in either the construction or upgrade of community water or sewer systems. On a per capita basis, together with roads, the maintenance and upgrading of water distribution and sewer systems will require the greatest capital investment.
In addition to aging infrastructure, some communities will be facing substantially higher costs for water treatment systems in the near future. British Columbians have become increasingly vulnerable to illnesses from water-borne diseases. Twenty-seven outbreaks of Toxoplasmosis, Criptosporidium, Giardia and other diseases have occurred in the past 18 years and annual advisories to boil water before using, have become commonplace. Upgrading water treatment and filtration systems to Canadian standards is expected to cost approximately $2 billion province-wide. An additional $1 billion is the anticipated cost to upgrade wastewater systems.
Water supply is a complex business
B.C.'s vast and diverse resources have supported a variety of forms of development. Each type of activity -whether it is natural gas exploration in the northeast, farming in the central interior or residential development in the lower mainland — exerts a unique demand for water. That demand also varies by quantity, quality and timing in each community or watershed.
In the past, water managers did not need to worry about meeting demands. The provincial water allocation and licencing system was developed at a time when there was more than enough water to meet all needs. Similarly, community water systems were developed before demand began to exert pressure on water supplies. However, the traditional approach to water allocation and supply is not easily adaptable to today's pressures.
Water use has an effect on social and environmental quality
Water is a basic need. The added benefits of our water resource can be seen in our industries, orchards, street lights and beaches. It contributes to the high quality of life enjoyed by British Columbians. But needless water extraction can have a negative effect on our quality of life. For example, groundwater contributes to base flows for streams and wetlands. When these resources are overused, nearby surface water is also reduced, affecting both people and ecosystems. Conversely, conflicts between water users arise where surface waters are fully licenced in areas with high ground water use (Figure 4). Water quality can also become degraded when the demand exceeds supply as demonstrated by salt water intrusion into the Gulf Islands and southern Vancouver Island.
In B.C., our water licencing system is based on the principle of "first in time, first in right", meaning that a licence holder with an older licence is entitled to draw an allocated quantity of water first. Water licences are often located along a river or stream that is known to run low at certain times of the year. In these places, water use can have a significant effect on both users and habitats located downstream, particularly during dry seasons or at critical life cycle stages for fish. These interconnections within a watershed need to be taken into consideration if social and environmental quality is to be kept at a high standard.
The water still flows and old paradigms persist
Is there a water supply problem? Though most British Columbians consider water an invaluable and essential element for life, that consideration does not inspire conservation. Rather, it reinforces the position that water should be made available at little or no cost to the consumer.
Water is perceived by many to be infinitely plentiful. We turn on the tap and it's there. But water is not infinite. Yet as long as the perception persists that water is plentiful — a perception reinforced by low prices and allowed excessive waste — water will continue to be taken for granted and the benefits of implementing a water use efficiency program will not be readily evident - until there is a crisis.
However, there is a noticeable shift toward a water conservation ethic as witnessed by the number of water use efficiency initiatives adopted by communities throughout B.C.
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