Water conservation encouraged year-round via Tourism Tofino’s website
The site may be used as a useful reference for businesses, residents and anyone else who is interested in knowing what Tofino is doing about water conservation.
The site may be used as a useful reference for businesses, residents and anyone else who is interested in knowing what Tofino is doing about water conservation.
Tofino has emerged as a case study of interest because the municipality faces the challenge of reducing water demand during a period of climate change.
Captured rainwater will either be routed to pervious surfaces or used for on-site irrigation. The program aims to reduce the polluted rainwater that goes into the ocean and help conserve the use of potable water.
Water demand in Tofino is following the same trends as it did in 2006 – the summer the town nearly shut down because of heavy demand, low precipitation and low supply.
Tofino is presently under stage two (of a possible four) water use restrictions that includes a ban on any outdoor watering. Additionally, residents and businesses are asked not to consume any water between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
POLIS – Liz Hendriks (120p)
The Water Conservation Planning National Workshop Series brings the WaterSmart Toolkit to the doors of municipalities across Canada. The workshops build on POLIS water conservation research and decades of water efficiency research from the broader community.
Metro Vancouver’s reservoirs are full now, but an unusually hot, dry start to the summer combined with rapid snowmelt means the area could be facing water shortages later in the year.
The majority of Canadians (53 per cent) rank freshwater as the country’s most important natural resource; ahead of forests (20 per cent), agriculture/farmland (14 per cent), oil (eight per cent) and fisheries (two per cent), according to the 2009 Canadian Water Attitudes Study
The WaterSmart Toolkit, developed by the POLIS Project at the University of Victoria, provides practical tools to Canadian communities seeking to develop and implement a comprehensive and long-term approach to freshwater management.
The British Columbia guidebook helps municipal water staff and active citizens get started on water conservation planning, and communities who are looking to strengthen existing water conservation plans.