Okanagan Waterwise: Water Centric Planning in the Okanagan - Building Sustainable Communities

1. Building Sustainable Communities
2010

2.  Founded in 1970
• Droughts
• Pollution
• Population boom
 Water
management
mandate

3.  Are we running out of
water?
 Are there too many
people in the valley?
 Should we prohibit all
golf courses?
 Where should we have
development?

4. First ‐
 Assess water supply & demand
 Identify stakeholder needs
 Target problems & priorities
Then ‐
 Local & Regional water planning
 Water allocation decisions
 Drought management

5.  Water supply & demand
 Endocrine disrupters
 Water use reporting
 Groundwater monitoring
 Drought planning
 Water pricing

11. Less snow,
more rain

12. summer low‐flows
Competition for water

14.  Healthy waterways?
• Protect birds & fish, keep water clean, reduce erosion
 Local agriculture?
• Health, food security, economic stability
 Green space?
• Air quality, views,
 Golf courses?
• Economic driver, keeps greenspace open, exercise
 Green lawns and gardens?
• Popular hobby, food security, healthy recreation
Minimize conflicts?

15. Supply reality
 Shortages happen every summer
 Some years are dry everywhere
 Some areas higher risk for chronic shortages
 Hillside development on groundwater a high risk
Demand reality
 We use more water than anyone else
 78% of domestic water goes on lawns
 Not enough water to support sprawl

16.  Unregulated by
province
 Overdraft creates
conflict between
neighbours
 Local government
has power to
regulate
development

17.  Tool for planners
 Groundwater science
handbook
 Model bylaws: e.g.,
• OCP policies
• Geothermal
• Pumping rates

20. www.obwb.ca
www.okwaterwise.ca