POLIS Water Sustainability Project releases

As another hot summer fast approaches, Ontario’s watersheds are anticipated to, once again, show signs of serious ecological stress. In 2007, seven Conservation Authorities within the province had watersheds with low water level conditions. Climate change is predicted to further strain water resources in southern Ontario, where demand for water is growing and strongly linked to population growth.
 
“Water conservation and efficiency offer ‘no-regrets’ strategies that not only reduce wastage, but improve the long term resiliency of our communities in the face of climate change and rising water management costs,” says Carol Maas, author of the report and Innovation and Technology Director at the POLIS Water Sustainability Project.
 
The Premier of Ontario has committed to improving the efficiency of water use by developing a provincial water conservation and efficiency strategy under the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement. In response to this commitment, the Water Sustainability Project has outlined a vision for the strategy based on a wealth of water conservation research and dialogue with local experts.
 
“A visionary, integrated approach to the strategy would benefit Ontarians by stimulating the economy, reducing energy needs, and protecting the vitality of our watersheds,” says Maas. The report urges the Province to act on this plan, and to instill a culture of water conservation within Ontario. 
 
The report, H2Ontario: A Blueprint for A Comprehensive Water Conservation and Efficiency Strategy, is built on the broad vision of ‘No New Water Supplies’, meaning that the search for “new” water starts with saving water and the collective efforts to unleash the full potential of water conservation. Ten priority areas and twenty-five actions form a pragmatic and innovative framework that would make Ontario a leader in the Great Lakes-St.Lawrence River Basin. 
 

Posted June 2009