Eighty-five delegates from across the country gathered in Victoria, BC, to participate in the 3rd Canadian National Conference on Water Efficiency and Conservation. BC Minister, Ida Chang, welcomed delegates and discussed the comprehensive initiative being undertaken by her Government on Living Water Smart and how 12 departments are having their programs coordinated through a special Parliamentary Secretary to ensure that the policy and initiative are implemented in a timely and full fashion.

Presentations made by Geoff Young, Chair of the Capital Regional District Board of Directors (CRD) and Nils Jensen, Chair of the CRD Water Supply Commission outlined the initiatives being taken by CRD to ensure conservation of water and an adequate supply of high quality source water, even in significant drought years. Of particular interest was the presentation by Jonathan Dennis of the UK Environmental Protection Agency on water conservation initiatives in the UK and his lighted-hearted but nevertheless serious analysis of conservation patterns and comparisons between water consumption in the UK and Canada.

Mary Ann Dickinson of the US-based, Alliance for Water Efficiency, brought delegates up to date on water conservation initiatives in the US under the Obama Administration, news of developments in the WaterSense program and unveiled a water efficiency map of Canada (located on the Alliance website - www.a4we.org ) that details the water efficiency regulations and programs for Canadian provinces, territories and cities. Other speakers reported on initiatives taken by their utilities to initiate or implement conservation programs and the findings of research projects.

Bill Gauley of Veritec Consulting Inc. and John Koeller of Koeller Associates shared their expertise on current water efficiency research activities in support of the WaterSense Program. The conference wrapped up with a Policy Session in which delegates received information on the policy frameworks emerging in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, which will no doubt be considered by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Water Action Group for application more generally across the country.

This National Conference Series, which provides an opportunity for Canadian utility conservation specialists to get together and exchange news and views now switches to a biennial format and will next be held in 2011. CWWA would like to acknowledge the work of the Program Technical Committee of the National Water Efficiency Committee co-chaired by Johann Manente of Peel Region and Glen Pleasance of Durham Region. CWWA would also like to thank all of the sponsors listed on page 8, who made the event possible.

A copy of all the presentations will be mounted on a CD and sent to all delegates. Copies of the CD can also be purchased through the Association online Bookstore

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