Source: Living Water Smart: BC’s Water Plan
The population in British Columbia will increase by 1.4 million in the next 25 years; as a result, they need to come up with ways to stretch the current amount of water to the increasing population. There needs to be a change in attitude that there is an unlimited amount of water to go around. BC’s major water uses include: energy, transportation, mining, farming and industry.
Many rivers are over used in BC and are starting to show the effects. The articles state that there are approximately 44,000 active water liscences and the annual rentals provide more than $270 million in revenue each year. The groundwater is also a concern of the BC government due to an increase of nitrates that are polluting some aquifers that provide water to urban residents, industries, and rural homes. There is an estimated 750,000 residents who drink groundwater.
Agriculture is also a major industry in BC. Approximity 4.7 hectors is used for agriculture and livestock. It’s reported that cattle need any where from 45 to 135 liters per day, which will increase by 1 1/2 to 2 times on a warm day.
The water consumption in Canada is 65% above the average, and the average adult consumes 1.5 liters of water per day. The average family uses 25,000 liters per year by flushing the toilet. With future population projections, this will only strain water availability even more. Many regions in BC have come up with a plan to conserve water, and the first phase is to decrease water consumption by 15 percent by 2012.
