Whereas climate change is causing increasingly unpredictable and extended summer droughts throughout Vancouver Island and the Coastal Region; And whereas water is a shared resource required by all residents, industry sectors, agriculture and the environment to both sustain life and conduct business: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM request the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship conduct a current inventory of surface and groundwater availability, as well as projected future needs, in order to facilitate planning of freshwater storage requirements to supply all residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, Indigenous, emergency and environmental needs to a minimum 50-year threshold.
Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship It is challenging to plan and manage for water security in perpetuity for a range of evolving needs and values in a changing climate and landscape. Thats why were taking a strengthened approach to drought preparedness: getting started earlier; updating the provincial Drought and Water Scarcity Response Plan; and working with our partners and investing in long-term, evidence-based solutions to help British Columbians manage in times of water scarcity. In partnership with regional health authorities over the last years, the Province has also been distributing bi-weekly surveys to drinking water suppliers throughout the drought season to collect information on, and understand, the status and risk of community water supply issues. The Province has extensive groundwater and surface water monitoring networks, aquifer and watershed science programs, the Drought Information Portal, and several web-based applications i.e. Groundwater Wells and Aquifers search tool where the public can access the most current information on water levels, vulnerabilities, and detailed information that can support local governments and others as they undertake water demand and supply analysis and planning. More information can be found on the provincial Water Data Tools webpage. Several local governments and provincially funded watershed organizations across BC are undertaking water supply and demand studies to better inform area-based planning and development constraints and opportunities. Within budget and staff capacity, the Province also conducts water budget studies in areas where water resources are stressed to inform water allocation decisions and support for drought preparedness. Recent examples include water budget studies in Westwold, the Lower Mainland, and the Shawnigan Creek Watershed, which are available in the EcoCat Ecological Reports Catalogue. Importantly, applications for water use are received on a first come first served basis. It is typically the responsibility of an applicant to demonstrate if water is available to meet their proposed demand without adversely affecting other water uses or environmental needs.