“The strength of the CAVI approach on Vancouver Island is the engagement of its partners on a one on one basis who “buy in” to the vision of water-centric planning. The process is accumulative, as others from diverse backgrounds are drawn to the common goal of achieving water sustainability. Each progressive step builds upon the previous success story,” wrote Eric Bonham.
“Water is the piece that integrates everything that we care about. We are using the phrase water stewardship, not water management. Stewardship is about replacing self interest, dependency and control with service, responsibility and partnership,” stated Lynn Kriwoken.
“The Water Sustainability Action Plan is aimed at building capacity by improving awareness about effective approaches to the sustainable use of water resources and demonstrating how to integrate these approaches into land and resource planning, development and management decisions at the regional, community through to site levels.” stated Ray Fung.
“We focussed on the South Okanagan because it’s a ready-made pilot project that’s manageable in scale, and then we can roll out what we find across the province,” stated Kim Stephens.
Too often, communities respond to 21st century water problems with 20th century solutions— bigger pipes and bigger pumps leading to bigger tax bills” says Michael M’Gonigle, Eco- Research Chair of Law and Policy at the University of Victoria. “Communities are missing out the full potential of water conservation and efficiency.”
“Drawing on the experience of two international
experts, workshops held in Vancouver and in Victoria connected the dots between why harvest rainwater and how to cost-effectively implement rainwater collection, storage, treatment and delivery systems. Delegates left the workshops with a new understanding of the similarities in the challenges we now face in BC to those that Australians, Germans, Japanese and others are beginning to overcome,” wrote Colwyn Sunderland.
“Water management can be viewed on a continuum (or spectrum) that includes three distinct approaches: supply-side, demand management, and the “soft path”. There is a growing awareness of the need to talk in these terms. Furthermore, this awareness is helping to focus attention on what practitioners can do to turn ideas into action,” says Oliver Brandes.
“New approaches for water security are needed right now,” says Dr. David Brooks. “You could learn to live without oil, and we should, but you will not survive without fresh water. Climate chaos will force us to re-think how we manage our voracious demand for energy and water. We offer the Soft Path as a way to do that—a way that respects the environment and leads to social prosperity.”
“This report builds on the strength of the action plans laid out in previous reports. At a Watershed goes beyond the urban environment, addressing specific issues of governance. This final instalment creates the holistic solution for long-term water sustainability in Canada,” states Oliver Brandes.
