World Water Day: food for thought in Canada

World Water Day was yesterday, March 22nd, but like all such occasions, perhaps everyday should be World Water Day.

Here in Canada, where we’ve developed a reputation as ‘water hogs’ wasting so much of the bounty we’ve been blessed with, there is a growing awareness of our overuse of this resource, and the challenges many of Canada’s First Nations face with little or no access to clean running water.

“Canada is losing its cool”

Professor Ali Nazemi. of Concordia University’s Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, says one of our biggest water challenges is simple: “Canada is losing its cool”.

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“We are experiencing warmer temperatures and these warmer temperatures affect our precipitation patterns.” he explains.

As a result of climate change the snow pack we have depended on to continue to irrigate our land during the summer, is in danger as it is shrinking annually causing greater challenges for water management.

Added to this is the more frequent occurrence of droughts and floods which, according to model projections, will continue and increase in severity, Nazemi says.

As for “anthropogenic issues” Professor Nazemi points to Canada’s “de-fragmented water management”; water is managed at the provincial level and many provinces are not in sync with one another.

(From left) Michael Gravelle, Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, Cathy Cox, Manitoba Minister of Sustainable Development, Matthew McCandless, Executive Director of International Institute for Sustainable Development and Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid listen in as Kenora MP Bob Nault announces a $1.7 million federal investment into the IISD Experimental Lakes Area on the shore of Lake of The Woods in Kenora, August 10, 2016. IISD Experimental Lakes Area is a research facility where scientists conduct research on lakes and ecosystems. (CP/John Woods)

We need a more nation-wide approach, Professor Nazemi says, and while there are promising developments in the beginning of dialogue between all levels of government, it is crucial that the larger vision becomes the new paradigm.

“The scope of water security issues might be more than what has been seen in the past and therefore, we need to actually have a better understanding of the future threats the country might have and then work together in order to minimise the adverse effect of these security threats.” Nazemi says.

In Canada, the largest amounts of water are used for agriculture.

It may now be time to look at our agricultural practices when the snow pack that was depended on to feed rivers from the tops of the Rocky Mountains cannot be counted on in the same way, in the prairie region that is semi-arid in nature.

“Second biggest water waster in the world”

It is the same reality that has authorities in the Greater Vancouver area, with a population of two and a-half million people, beginning to prepare for future threats to their water security.

Professor Ali Nazemi of Concordia University’s Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, says water quality is one of several challenges for Canada.

Professor Nazemi also cautions that extreme variability in precipitation is another issue, with some years bringing lots of snow and other years very little.

The good news is that young people on university campuses are displaying a greater awareness of water challenges and environmental issues according to what Professor Nazemi is observing, but Canada is still the second biggest water waster in the world.

We consume 250 litres per person, per day, second only to the United States.

Water for Nature – UN theme

For this year’s World Water Day, “Water for Nature” was the UN proclaimed theme. Professor Nazemi explains that this is an array of green solutions that include a variety of practices.

Instead of building dams, it is proposed that working on trapping the soil moisture by reclaiming wetlands and restoring flood plains are wiser moves and greener solutions.

Even at the most local level encouraging people to harvest rainfall by reclaiming water from roofs for both cleaning and irrigation needs would go a long way to improving water security and water management.

Professor Nazemi reminds Canadians that despite the large amounts of water, with large lakes and rivers across the country, some of these bodies are not healthy.

We have an issue of water quality, he says, using Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba as an example.

“We have a large body of water, but unfortunately because of the algae bloom, this water cannot be consumed.” he says.

Professor Azemi says “water problems in general are complicated… the water cycle itself is perhaps one of the most complicated natural cycles that we have on planet earth”.

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