Water Security in a Changing World Kevin Rumsey, M.A., M.Sc - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Water Security in a Changing World Kevin Rumsey, M.A., M.Sc Sustaineo Blue Water Consulting

Outline

https://www.raconteur.net/sustainability/worldwide-water-crisis-is-looming

Water Security defined as: “The capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being and socio-economic development . In addition, protection against water-borne pollution , water- related disasters and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability.” - UN (2013) http://www.unwater.org/publications/water-security-global-water-agenda/

“Water security is the nexus that links together the web of food, energy, together the web of food, energy, health, climate, economic growth and peace that the world economy now faces” https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/02/4-billion-people-face-severe-water-scarcity-at-least-for-one-month-every-year/

https://www.co2.earth/

Methane Monster https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends_ch4/

Earth’s fresh water in a bubble – no ice caps https://water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html

Only about 0.3% Freshwater availability to humanity https://slideplayer.com/slide/1519972/

https://boingboing.net/2008/03/11/all-the-water-and-ai.html

Snap Shot Today @ 7.6 Billion • 2.1 Billion(27%) lack access to • 80% of all wastewater is discharged safely managed drinking water untreated/un-reused. • 4.5 Billion (59%) lack access to safe • 4.5 Billion (59%) lack access to safe • 67% of all transboundy waters • 67% of all transboundy waters sanitation facilities (263) have no cooperative agreements. • 344,000 children < 5 die annually from waterborne diseases. • 70% of all water withdrawals is for agriculture • 4 out 10 (40%) now live with water scarcity • 1.2 Billion people are at risk from low level flooding (16%) http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/19524/UNEP_WWQA_report_03052016.pdf?isAllowed=y& sequence=1

Threats to water • Poor water governance (management) - weak political will, corruption, low institutional capacity • Rapid urban population growth • Increasing standard of living (India and China) • Increasing standard of living (India and China) • Increasing energy demand, industrialization Ed McBean , Ph.D, P.Eng • Intensifying activity in agriculture, livestock, forest & Canada Research Chair sea harvesting in Water Supply Security • Extreme climate variability • Decline of ecological integrity.

“…we’re moving towards increasing water scarcity – despite Canada’s theoretical abundance – this is probably the biggest looming problem for Canada problem for Canada ” David Schindler, Professor Emeritus University of Alberta https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-fresh-water-review-1/article35262579/

http://www.waterpolitics.com/2012/08/30/global-water-demand-by-2050/

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/02/4-billion-people-face-severe-water-scarcity-at-least-for-one-month-every-year/

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/02/4-billion-people-face-severe-water-scarcity-at-least-for-one-month-every-year/

http://watergovernance.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2010/04/FS_Myth_of_Water_Abundance.pdf

http://assets.wwf.ca/downloads/WWF_Watershed_Reports_Summit_FINAL_web.pdf?_ga=2.247247181.891394252.1497266572- 984777005.1497266572

Water scarcity

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/vancouver-water-shortage-climate-snowpack-conservation-1.4562900

2018 BC Hydro report on Climate Change • Prediction for 2050 • Hotter climate and continued warming in all seasons, with increased precipitation in winter, spring and fall, in most watersheds, spring and fall, in most watersheds, expect for the interior; • Earlier snow melt, earlier peak flow in Spring, yet with lower flows in the late summer/fall. • Overall a modest increase in water supply for hydro-electric power in the Province. https://www.bchydro.com/content/dam/hydro/medialib/internet/documents/ab out/climate_change_report_2012.pdf

BC Govt Projected Impacts for BC by 2050 Temp increases up by 2.7 C. Increase in Average Annual Rainfall by up to 12% in some • Longer growing seasons regions, with hot dry summers . hampered by droughts • Increase in invasive species, infectious diseases, species die infectious diseases, species die • More frequent and intense • More frequent and intense off storms causing damage to buildings and infrastructure. • Shifting aquatic ecosystems and functioning • Fires, floods, insects, disease, soil erosion • Higher evaporation rates • Increased public health risks https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/climate-change/adaptation/impacts

BC Govt Projected Impacts for BC By 2100, up to 70% of BC glaciers Sea level rise along coast disappeared • Coastal communities and ecosystems • Changes in river flows and experience more frequent and severe temperature affecting fish habitat temperature affecting fish habitat flooding flooding and hydroelectric power generation • Blocked drainage and sewages • Decrease in drinking water quality systems, and seawater intruding into and quantity groundwater aquifers • Water shortages cause increasing • Low-lying agricultural lands becoming competition between various water too saline for cultivation users . https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/climate-change/adaptation/impacts

BC Drought Message Guide, Summer 2017 https://www.freshwateralliance.ca/bc_drought_message_guide

Drought Message Guide 2017 • Drought and flood resilience will be the number 1 challenge that will define British Columbia’s future. • More than 60% of the province’s water basins were in drought conditions in the fall 2017 and 1/5 of all provincial observation wells conditions in the fall 2017 and 1/5 of all provincial observation wells showed moderate to large rates of decline. • Water pricing in BC currently the lowest rate in Canada. This undervalues the services and benefits of freshwater. Nestle pays $2.25 for a 1 Million L’s of water -- almost as much as they charge for 1L of bottled water. https://www.freshwateralliance.ca/bc_drought_message_guide

The capacity to prepare for disruptions, recover from shock and adapt from the experience … to bounce back. Requires integration of social, economic and ecological components

Hard Path? Soft Path? Soft Path?

Hard Path Characteristics • Traditional engineering • Linear and logical processes methodologies/thinking • Working against nature • Centralized decision-making • Focused on maximizing profits • Supply management driven • Corporate and technology driven • Corporate and technology driven • Large built infrastructure • Promoted as continued economic • Capital Intensive growth • Inflexible, non-adaptable • Little to no social value consideration, community • Energy intensive - mechanical and engagement to influence decisions. chemical …business as usual

Soft path approach

Soft Path Elements • Acknowledges limits of ecological • Innovation and ingenuity – green integrity. infrastructure • Broader and wholistic goals • Non-linear - Flexible and Adaptable • Finding a balance • Policies based on stakeholder • Uses an Integration approach- Uses an Integration approach- consultation and political review. consultation and political review. multidisciplinary multidisciplinary • Social engagement and prosperity • Towards sustainability, conservation, • Understandable by community resilience • Smaller scale • Demand management • Long term vision • Decentralized decision-making - watershed level • There is no one way – always context specific • Creative partnerships and financing • Works with nature ttps://poliswaterproject.org/polis-research-publication/new- path-water-sustainability-town-oliver-bc-soft-path-case-study

Soft Path Case Studies • York Region, ON • Fergus-Elora, ON • Milton, BC • Salt Spring Island, BC • Salt Spring Island, BC • Abbotsford, BC • District of Mission, BC • Cowichan Watershed Board, BC https://poliswaterproject.org/

http://www.cwn-rce.ca/focus-areas/blue-cities/canadian-municipal-water-priorities-report/

Top 6 Municipality Priorities • Incorporate Integrated Risk Management • Achieve Full Cost Recovery and Financing • Expand Wastewater Resource Recovery and Use of Biosolids • Expand Wastewater Resource Recovery and Use of Biosolids • Build Resiliency to Climate Change and Extreme Weather • Replace and Maintain Aging Infrastructure • Adjust to Urban Population Growth http://www.cwn-rce.ca/focus-areas/blue-cities/canadian-municipal-water-priorities-report/

https://www.rdn.bc.ca/drinking-water-and-watershed-protection