WaterChantei

Nambi

Role of Consumers

Canada has a significant amount of water, we posses 7% of the world’s renewable water supply.

The main uses for water are drinking, irrigation, manufacturing. Instream uses include: transportation, recreation and tourism.

Canadians consume about 1.5 million (CM) If changes aren't made Canadians will

have to start paying double for water and we will be risking the depletion of one of Canada’s most valuable resources.

Waste Water Management Leaks can be costly. A leak of only one drop per second wastes about

10 000 liters of water per year. Leaks are easy to find and to fix, at very little

cost.  Things such as a ULV toilet use less water. Investing in the better toilet can cut your

water/sewer bill in half. Most showerheads have flow rates up to 15 to 20

liters per minute. A low-flow showerhead can reduce that flow by half and still provide proper shower performance.

Role of Government(s)

In Canada, the federal government has jurisdiction related to : fisheries navigation federal lands international relations, including

responsibilities related to the management of boundary waters shared with the United States

Has a significant role in supporting aquatic research and technology, and ensuring national policies and standards are in place on environmental and health-related issues.

The Canadian provincial legislative powers include: areas of flow regulation water supply pollution hydroelectric power development

Canadian government set up the Boundary Waters Treaty in 1909 to set principles for sharing water with the United States.provides a mechanism for

cooperation in managing shared waterways and any shared environmental issues

Treaty plays a role in restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes basin.

Role of Multinational Corporations

A significant number of large multinational companies are providing philanthropic support for water issues.

For example, GE not only provides water-related aid in places like Ghana through its corporate Foundation and its Water for Humanity program, but it has also committed to reducing its own global water consumption by 25 percent during the next five years.

Coca Cola, Talisman Energy, and Levi Strauss are also working to solve the world’s water crisis while making an impact in their own facilities.

Role of the international community

Water Scarcity About 70 percent of fresh water is in the form of ice and

permanent snow cover in mountainous regions, the Antarctic and Arctic regions.

The total usable freshwater supply for ecosystems and humans is less than 1 percent of all freshwater resources.

27% of the urban population in the developing world does not have piped water in its house.

A lack of safe water and sanitation in cities leads to disease. The UN suggests that each person needs 20-50 litres of water a

day to ensure their basic needs for drinking, cooking and cleaning. Every 20 seconds, a child dies as a result of poor sanitation. That's

1.5 million preventable deaths each year.

Water ScarcityWater use has been

growing at more than the rate twice of population increase in the last century.

Water withdrawals predicted to be 50 percent by 2025 in developing countries, and 18 per cent in developed countries.

By 2025, 800 million people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity.

Suggestions to Balance Economics and Environmentalism

Environment Vs. Economy the balance between the economy and the environment tilted

virtually 100% towards the economy. Rapidly-growing economies face a big dilemma: Development

versus environment. Capping carbon emission could slow down growth. And growth is the only way out of poverty.

We draw resources from the environment to produce goods and services, and we emit wastes into the environment in the process of both producing and consuming.

We can find new ways to do things that require less water and waste.

If every Canadian takes small steps such as turning of the tap while brushing ones teeth and taking shorter showers it will help immensely.

Solutions to the Water Crisis

Small ScaleRecycling / water treatment systems

Already seeing countries, like Singapore, are trying to recycle to cut water imports and become more self-sufficient.

Conservation of water and educationA lot of countries are having trouble in terms of

unpredictable amounts of rainwater, as well as aquifers drying up.

Simple steps to conserve water will make a huge difference.

A major part of this will be to educate people, and make the general population more aware.

Large Scale Population Control

Controlling the population will in turn control water consumption and waste

Better government policies / regulations In Russia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has approved waste

discharges in Lake Baikal, one of the world’s largest bodies of freshwater.

Governments need to redefine their role in terms of water control

The U.S. government is considering expanding the Clean Water Act to ensure more protections.

Holistic management of ecosystem Applies to a practical, common-sense approach to overseeing

natural resources that takes into account economic, cultural, and ecological goals

An example of this would be communities that operate sewage treatment plants while pursuing partnerships with clean energy producers to use wastewater to fertilize algae and other biofuel crops. The crops, in turn, soak up nutrients and purify wastewater, significantly reducing pumping and treatment costs.

Thank You

Bibliography http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=B947BAA8-1 http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=24C5BD18-1 http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=E05A7F81-1 http://forloveofwater.co.za/top-19-solutions-to-the-global-fresh-water

-crisis/

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/03/22/water-sustainability-what-governments-industry-and-ngos-can-accomplish-together/

http://www.environmental-expert.com/Files%5C7776%5Carticles%5C10207%5CNewconsumerrolesinwastewatermanagement.pdf

http://www.waterworld.com/index.html http://www.pennwell.com/index/Water.html