Water Stewardship Information Sources
| Citation | HB LANARC Consultants Ltd. 2008. Innovative Options and Opportunities for Sustainable Water Use. Prepared for Regional District of Nanaimo. |
|---|---|
| Organization | Regional District of Nanaimo |
| URL | http://www.rdn.bc.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID2509atID5998.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | Projections suggest that population in the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) will increase 49% by 2031. During this time climate change will introduce irregular weather patterns that are predicted to include longer, hotter and drier summers. The RDN operates seven Water Supply Areas that experience regular high summer demand. With the goal of addressing peak summer water use in these Water Service Areas, and an appreciation that water use will be an evolving concern for the Electoral Areas, the RDN requested this study to investigate innovative options and opportunities for sustainable water use. A target of a 33% reduction from an average household use of 800 litres per day is recommended as an achievable goal to reach a steady state water use rate as populations increase up to 2030. Average water use portrayed as the middle dot on the curve ahcieves a steady date while summer use still rises slightly. The actions that form this strategy address aspects of demand side management, rainwater harvesting, wastewater reuse, public education and involvement, and administrative procedures. All actions are listed in a sequential implementation scheme organized to build on success. The strategy aims to increase awareness with education, foster the adoption of innovative techniques with promotion and then confirm water conservation success, where appropriate, with regulation. Progress towards water conservation in the RDN is already underway. Using the start of 2004 as a reference point and reviewing RDN stats for water production and per capita use rates, there has been a gradual decline in both winter and summer water use. This decline could be attributed to initiatives started in the years following 2004. There were a number of programs started by the RDN in response to concerns for high water consumption patterns from 2000 to 2003: including the creation of the Water Smart program, requirement for low flush toilets, refinement of incline block water rates, door-to-door information campaigns, other Water Smart outreach projects and the publication of water conservation educational materials on the Water Smart website. Perhaps customers in the RDN water service areas are using less water as a result of media portrayals of water shortages and water conservation, the increased awareness of xeriscaping, or other factors. Whatever the cause, (probably a combination of many factors), the effect is that since 2004 there has been a gradual decline in water use close to 8%. Assuming a continuing trend, this means that progress towards a 33% reduction is already a quarter of the way there and roughly speaking, a further reduction of only 25% is needed to achieve the overall goal. Monitoring this trend in declining water use over the coming years can help guide the intensity of water conservation initiatives that are needed. A Water Efficiency Coordinator would be able to gauge the success of less costly initiatives to see where, when and if more costly programs will be needed. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Vancouver Island South |
| Sub-watershed if known | |
| Aquifer # | |
| Comments | |
| Project status | |
| Contact Name | |
| Contact Email | [email protected] |