Schedule announced for 2009-2010 Water Conservation Planning National Workshop Series
In partnership with FCM’s Green Municipal Fund, the POLIS Project on Ecological Governance and Friends of the Earth are offering workshops in 2009–2010 to equip municipal water practitioners with the practical tools they need to develop effective water conservation plans in their communities.
The Water Conservation Planning National Workshop Series brings the WaterSmart Toolkit to the doors of municipalities across Canada. Integrating hands-on learning with grounded research and practical experience, this Workshop Series seeks to equip participants with the tools and resources needed to plan and implement effective long-term comprehensive water conservation programs.
“The workshops enable local government staff, private consultants and community water planners to tailor their respective water conservation plans to the challenges in 
their particular community and build capacity within the municipality for effective water planning,” states Liz Hendricks, Outreach Coordinator with the POLIS Project Water Sustainability Project
“The workshops build on POLIS water conservation research and decades of water efficiency research from the broader community. The core of today’s water challenge is that conservation does not just happen – it requires capacity in the form of skills and resources and clear leadership to take meaningful action. The workshops foster the strength of current research while engaging our growing network of water conservation practitioners to share their learning and knowledge.
For more information, click on Water Conservation Workshop Roadshow.
Workshop Description:
- learn about water conservation frameworks, principles and processes.
- hear from a local expert on water management conditions and future needs.
- brainstorm to identify a vision and goals for the future water supply.
- assess water conservation measures and tools, such as conservation-based pricing, a GHG emissions calculator, community-based social marketing and water soft path planning (selected tools to be covered in each workshop based on audience interest)
- work with spreadsheet-based tools to build and compare scenarios for different approaches to water management, and to develop key water conservation targets and strategies.
- develop an action plan and discuss implementation tools (e.g. bylaws, education, outreach, building codes) and funding sources.
Workshop Schedule:
- August 28th 2009: Comox Valley, B.C. (funded by FCM’s Affordability and Choice Today program)
- September 17, 2009: Grand River Conservation Authority, Cambridge, Ont.
- October 13, 2009: Victoria, B.C. (in conjunction with the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association’s Water Conservation and Efficiency Conference)
- October 29, 2009: Lower Mainland, BC (BCWWA Demand Management Planning and Implementation Workshop)
- January 2010: GMF webinar (online workshop)
- February 2010: FCM Sustainable Communities Conference, Ottawa, Ont.
To register or for more information please contact Elizabeth Hendriks at hendriks.elizabeth@gmail.com or at 250 721 8189.
Originally posted June 2009
Updated September 2009