Focus Group Workshop on “The State of Water Conservation in BC”
Water $ave Tool Kit for BC
In November 2003, the BC Ministry of Water, Land & Air Protection (MWLAP), in partnership with the Water Sustainability Committee (WSC) of the BC Water & Waste Association, initiated development of a Water $ave Tool Kit for British Columbia that:
- re-evaluates water conservation efforts in BC;
- highlights success stories;
- identifies gaps, barriers and opportunities, and
- identifies further steps that need to be taken by public, private and voluntary sectors to protect and conserve water supplies.
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The Water $ave Tool Kit is one of six on-the-ground elements that will comprise the Water Sustainability Action Plan. These elements will holistically link water management with land use, development and resource production. The Action Plan is being developed as a shared responsibility through collaboration with the Province,” states Kim Stephens, WSC Program Coordinator.
Framework for Tool Kit Development
In its scope, the Tool Kit will consider the 1998 Water Conservation Strategy, the 2002 Drinking Water Action Plan and other related initiatives. It will also help guide:
- the development and implementation of the Water Sustainability Action Plan (WSAP), a partnership involving MWLAP, the WSC and others; and
- implementation of the Drought Management Action Plan (DMAP), a recent initiative spearheaded by the BC Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management.
“The relationship between the WSAP and the Tool Kit is cascading—the WSAP will provide a strategic framework, while the Tool Kit will offer a range of on-the-ground measures and 
approaches that will enable individuals and communities to achieve water conservation and water-use efficiency objectives. Ultimately, it is envisioned that the Tool Kit will evolve into a web-based ‘living document’ that tracks progress and trends in BC,” explains Lynn Kriwoken, Manager of the Water Protection Section in the Water, Air & Climate Change Branch of the Ministry.
Focus Group Workshop Held in Okanagan
To guarantee the Tool Kit’s success, a focus group was conducted with representatives from various sectors within the water industry and the broader community. The objectives in convening the group were two-fold:
- meet the information-gathering and -dissemination needs of the province and stakeholders throughout BC, and
- provide meaningful input to the development and implementation of the WSAP and the DMAP.
More than 40 people from three regions of BC participated in a day-long session held in the Okanagan on November 25, 2003. To download a copy of the Agenda that guided this interactive session, click on The State of Water Conservation in BC – And How Do We Move Forward From Here?
To Learn More:
To download a copy of a report that documents in detail how the workshop was conducted and what was accomplished in breakout groups, click on WSAP Focus Group Workshop – November 2003 Outcomes. The report also lists the participants whose commitment and collective contributions ensured that the workshop was a success.
