Living Water Smart
Important Notice
Please see Information Bulletins / Advisories for the latest updates on drought.
While angling closures are not always directly related to drought, this season low streamflows and hot, dry weather has resulted in high stream temperatures resulting in the need for angling closures. For more information on these angling closures please see: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/#anglingclosure
» Fact sheet: Drought affects your well (Aug. 24, 2015)
B.C.’s water is essential to our quality of life. Impacts of climate change, our growing population
and vibrant economy means that we need a different approach to water management.
Living Water Smart provides government’s vision for sustainable water stewardship. This vision will be achieved through actions and targets that include:
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Keeping water in mind when we develop our communities, protecting sources of drinking water and strengthening flood protection to adapt to climate change.
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Ensuring wetlands and waterways will be protected and rehabilitated and land activities will not negatively impact our water.
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Modernizing B.C.’s Water Laws to ensure adequate stream flows, ecosystem health, more community involvement, and protection of groundwater.
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Setting strong water efficiency targets and working with all sectors to reduce water consumption.
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Improving science and information so British Columbians can better prepare for the impacts of climate change.
It will take a collective effort to make this vision a reality. We must all work together to protect water sources, manage water demands, modernize water systems and infrastructure, and live water smart.
Visit the new Water Sustainability Act site to learn more about modernizing B.C.’s water laws.
Implementing Living Water Smart
Living Water Smart sets the direction for changes to water management and water use. These changes are crucial measures for adaptation to climate change impacts and the pressures placed on water resources from a growing population and economy.
Living Water Smart is a provincial plan and delivery involves eleven ministries and a range of stakeholders. The Ministry of Environment is responsible for overall coordination and reporting on Living Water Smart and is also leading action on a number of specific commitments in the plan.
Local and federal governments, industry groups, First Nations, non-governmental organizations, communities and citizens all have important roles to play in achieving water stewardship and play a vital role in achieving the Living Water Smart vision and goals.
The Your Stories section of our site sets out some of the great things our local organizations have been doing.
Progress on Living Water Smart Actions describes the projects that have been completed and others that will be implemented over a much longer time period.
Questions, comments, or suggestions regarding implementation? Please send us an e-mail at [email protected] or share your thoughts via our Living Water Smart Blog.
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