FLASHBACK TO 2005 (Video): Launch of waterbucket.ca website announced by the Province of British Columbia at Penticton Conference

 

Note to Reader:

In April 2005, the waterbucket.ca website was formally launched in Penticton, British Columbia at the annual conference of the BC Water & Waste Association (BCWWA). The announcement was made by the Hon. Bill Barisoff who at that time was the Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection. Reproduced below is the news release issued by the Province.

Co-funded by a number of government agencies, waterbucket.ca was an initiative of the former Water Sustainability Commitee (WSC). In 2010, the WSC morphed into the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC, an autonomous not-for-profit society. To this day, waterbucket.ca resides within the Partnership.

To learn more about this evolution of responsibility, click on BCWWA Water Sustainability Committee was the genesis for the “Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia”, an autonomous society

waterbucket.ca website showcases champions, guidance documents and success stories

“Early on, the Partnership recognized a need for a single point of access to news, information and tools for sustainable water management in British Columbia. To meet this need, the waterbucket.ca website was officially launched in 2005. However, the announcement by the Minister almost did not happen as planned,” recalls Mike Mike Tanner (120p)Tanner, Chair. He is a founding Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability.

“When I realized that nobody had remembered that the Minister’s prepared speech was to be followed by a video showcasing waterbucket.ca, I dashed across the stage at the Penticton Conference Centre, grabbed the microphone from the Minister and made that part of the announcement on his behalf.”

2004_Water_Sustainability-Action-Plan_Teachable- Moments

2005 NEWS RELEASE: “Waterbucket” a New Resource in Water Action Plan

Penticton (April 18, 2005) – A new web-based resource that will give local governments and water suppliers throughout B.C. ‘buckets’ of information on water conservation and sustainability was unveiled  by the Province and the B.C. Water and Waste Association (BCWWA).

Bill Barisoff_120pMinister of Water, Land and Air Protection Bill Barisoff officially launched the ‘Waterbucket’ during an address to the B.C. Water and Waste Association’s annual general meeting today in Penticton.

The ‘WaterBucket’ is a proactive and interactive online community that brings together, local governments, water utilities, water suppliers and managers. These groups and others can now electronically share success stories, information, practical tools and ideas about water sustainability and conservation.

“This is another major step forward to ensuring British Columbians have access to safe, clean and abundant water supplies,” Barisoff said. “This resource will allow those responsible for water management to develop tools and programs that address water sustainability and to share their knowledge and successes with others.”

2004_Water-Sustainability-Action-Plan_jig-saw-puzzleThe ‘WaterBucket’ is one of six elements in the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia, developed by the BCWWA’s Water Sustainability Committee in partnership with the Province and others. This committee has brought together experts in water resource management and related disciplines from government, the private sector, academia and stewardship groups.

The action plan’s goal is to encourage implementation of integrated water sustainability policies, plans and programs across the province. The action plan builds on the foundation provided by “A Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia”, a previous partnership development. The ‘WaterBucket’ is the key communication strategy for the action plan.

Don Degen_2006_120p“In providing universal access to information, we will see improved standards in all aspects of water resource management,” Don Degen, president of the BCWWA, said. “The ‘Waterbucket’ will be where water officials immediately go to for the latest in technology and practices.”

Primarily aimed at local governments and water resource managers, the ‘WaterBucket’ will eventually provide links for domestic, industrial, commercial and agricultural water users.

To Learn More:

Click on Celebrating a Decade of Success: “The waterbucket.ca website allows our ‘convening for action’ partners to record their history even as they are creating it,” says Mike Tanner, waterbucket.ca Chair

To download a copy of the 2005 news release, click on click on“Waterbucket” a New Resource in Water Action Plan.

Mike Tanner, Waterbucket Chair, showed the video following the Minister’s formal announcement that launched waterbucket.ca at Penticton Conference in April 2005

Mike Tanner, Waterbucket Chair, showed the video following the Minister’s formal announcement that launched waterbucket.ca at Penticton Conference in April 2005